The Eternal Maiden II: Calling All Angels
by Pheo the Flame
Summary: Sequel to "The Eternal Maiden". Honoo no Namida's still at large in the world, and according to Krad, to fight her and her small army, they're going to need all the help they can get. "Call on old friends and call on old foes/And if River doth rise..."
1. Chapter 1

**The Eternal Maiden II: Calling all Angels**

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: You know what? Let's just get this straight right away: I don't own DN Angel! Sheesh…

…

Lumi's POV

It had been six months. Six months since Gray's death, six months since my strange dream. Gray hadn't visited any of us since. I wore her necklace every day; it was the only reminder I had of her. I missed her. She was more like a sister to me than a friend, and I could tell that the Niwa's, Dark, and Satoshi all missed her as well.

I will start this part of our story during school.

At the moment, I'm trying to remember the passage of a French book I was supposed to have memorized by today. As I stand in front of the class looking like an idiot, I try my hardest to remember the few sentences that I was told to learn three weeks ago, but my mind is absolutely blank.

"Miss Orvokki," the teacher says after several minutes, "Please sit down." I hung my head, embarrassed, and walked to my seat.

"Sorry sensei," I said quietly as I walked past her desk. She only sighed.

"Mr. Hikari, would you please come up and say your piece?" Satoshi walked up to the front of the room, said something that I didn't understand (I assumed it was French) and then sat down again. He had changed his name back to Hikari with Emiko's help just before school started up again. She was really warming up to him.

I wasn't really paying attention. I was thinking about the letter Gray had written to me on Daisuke's computer. The one that was supposed to give me some sort of clue as to how to bring her back, or help her, or _something. _I ruffled my wings very gently underneath the thick white scarf Emiko had given me this morning before I left the house, grateful for the small disguise. I had only told the Harada twins about my wings, and that had only been when Risa had asked me about my necklace. Apparently she had recognized it from some time when she had met Gray…

"Lumi," Riku hissed, "Wake up!" I jumped a bit, and she looked at me strangely. "Are you okay? You don't look well." I sighed and shook my head.

"It's nothing," I said, "Just… you know…" Riku nodded, understanding my few words. She hadn't known Gray particularly well, in fact, I think she had only seen her in passing, but there was still a genuine sorrow in her voice when I spoke of Gray.

The bell rang then, interrupting out conversation. It was time for lunch. Since I didn't actually have to eat, I'd normally go hang out with Satoshi on the roof, and Daisuke and Riku would join us later. The school year was almost over, thankfully, and then I'd have two months to try and figure out how to bring Gray back to life. I stood and followed Satoshi up to the roof, just like I did every day. The scarf I wore was choking me, and I couldn't wait until I could take it off and stretch my wings out. I never flew, though I was tempted, but it felt good to sit in the middle of the roof, where no one but Satoshi and Daisuke and Riku could see me, and spread my wings and let the wind whistle and flutter through the black and purple feathers.

"Hey, Satoshi! Orvokki-san!" I froze. That could only be-

"Hello Takeshi," Satoshi said, not stopping for a second.

"Hey, I'm going to chill with you guys today!" Takeshi said, "Daisuke told me he'd be eating up on the roof, so I thought I'd stop in for a visit." I sighed. Satoshi, as was normal, showed no emotion.

"If you want," he said, "But it looks windy out." I groaned. Of all the days-

"Oh, are you guys eating on the roof? I've heard the view is like, totally fabulous!" Oh, did I not mention Mio is here? I don't actually know why, or how, but she's been at school all year. She said she got really sick of America and came back. Again. "Can I come with you?" Takeshi grinned and invited her before I could blink. "Oh my gosh, thank you!" She trilled, "You are like, so amazing!" I winced as her voice slipped into an octave that hurt my eardrums, but mounted the stairs that led to the roof all the same, following Satoshi.

"Good afternoon Hio-san," I said, "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly a-maz-ing!" she cried, "How are you?" I blinked.

"Me?" Oh, let's see. My best friend's dead, I'm choking on a scarf, my wings hurt… "I'm fine."

"That's fab-u-lous!" She cheered. I tuned her out. As soon as I stepped outside, I knew I was in trouble. The wind was racing across the roof, blowing paper and fresh buds from trees around. There were no clouds in sight, but I had a feeling they'd be coming soon. My scarf instantly began whipping around, and I knew I was sunk. I took a fast step to the side of the door and straightened my scarf out as best I could before Mio and Takeshi's eyes could adjust to the light.

"You're right," I told Satoshi, "It is windy out here." I chill shot up my spine, which was unusual in the near summer heat. My vision went fuzzy for a second. Takeshi and Mio walked through the door, blinking in the bright light.

"Candra," Satoshi said, "You look like you're about to faint. Sit down." I didn't feel my best, so I decided to listen to him. I slid down the wall and sat down. Mio looked at me curiously, but didn't say anything. I suddenly felt like my stomach was going to turn inside out, and I quickly fixed my gaze on one thing that remained stationary: the bricks that lined the top of the roof and created a wall about two feet tall. I stared at the bricks until I began to feel better, and then after. One of the bricks had a small hole in it, almost like it had been drilled there. Funny… it hadn't been there a second ago…

The hole was getting bigger. So was the wall. And where had the others gone? It wasn't like they could have left, could they? They'd just… disappeared. _Mura, _I called out to my familiar, _Murasaki, help me! _But the rabbit didn't answer.

The hole in the brick wall was huge now, big enough for me to walk through. I didn't want to though. There was no way I was going to… the roof around me started crumbling. I jumped to my feet, my head spinning, and tried to spread my wings, tried to fly off, but my wings were gone. There was no time to think, no time to do anything but keep myself safe. I jumped for a bit of the roof that was still intact, and it held just long enough for me to get my bearings and leap to another chunk of mortar and brick. It did the same as the last, and after two more leaps, I realized that I was approaching the giant, black, forbidding tunnel. I quailed inside, but there was no way around it. If I had to go in there to keep safe, then I'd do it. I made one more leap, then scrambled into the tunnel.

Instantly, everything turned white. I blinked, confused. Hadn't the tunnel been black? "Yes," someone said, "It is a confusing world, isn't it?" I whirled around in all directions, but I could see no one. Yet that voice…

"Gray?" I called, "Where are you?"

"Nowhere," Gray replied, "And everywhere. I am everything in this world, and yet I am absolutely nothing. Just look in front of you." I did as she asked, and in beautiful gold script, I saw something being spelled out on the whiteness in front of me.

_Once there were four._

_Now there are three._

_How long have I been gone?_

_How much longer will he be?_

_Did I die without a cause?_

_Did the Black Wings truly break?_

_Or has this all just been a terrible dream?_

_A huge mistake?_

"Does it make sense to you now?" Gray whispered, "Go now, Satoshi's getting ready to call an ambulance."

"What do you mean?" I yelled, "Gray, I have no idea what you meant for me to do! I can't help you anymore! I don't know what I'm doing!" But already the white walls were dissolving into the sky and the rooftop, which was once again intact, and I was sitting back on the rooftop, Satoshi and Mio and Takeshi staring at me.

"What just happened?" Takeshi asked. Satoshi shook his head.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. I shrugged, then nodded.

"I… think so," I said, surprised at how weak my voice sounded, "Maybe." I was shaking so hard I was having trouble seeing straight, and I forced myself to shut my eyes and get a hold of myself. "Yes. I'll be fine in a moment." Takeshi and Mio walked off, giving the two of us some space. "Satoshi," I whispered, "We should tell them."

"No," he said, "Mio Hio's already helped my… _father_ tried to imprison Daisuke to gain control of the Black Wings."

"Your father's dead," I said, and instantly regretted it as shock flashed in his eyes. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that… But… the thing is… Satoshi, maybe you… oh forget it. Let's see what Daisuke says." He sighed, and I knew I had him cornered. He did listen to Daisuke, if not anyone else. I could almost call it friendship… in the way Gray and I had been friends. One had to know when to keep their distance.

Light footsteps tapped up the steps. "Here's Daisuke," Takeshi said, "Hey Dai- Harada-san?" Riku stood in the doorway, gasping, tears in her eyes.

"Daisuke's been kidnapped," she choked, and then collapsed. Satoshi and I stared at each other for about three seconds.

"Give them an excuse for me," I said, then spread my wings and jumped. I didn't need Satoshi's brain to figure out who'd kidnapped the redhead. And at the moment, I really didn't care if anyone found out my secret. I needed to find Dark. He'd help.

No POV

People stared at the blonde gentleman as he strode down the street, wondering where he was going. He certainly wasn't from around here, what with how he was dressed. But for being in the middle of the middle of Nowhere (whoever painted the sign that was to say "now here" had forgotten the space between 'now' and 'here') in the middle of the Russian planes, he didn't seem cold.

He walked up to one of the houses, and knocked. He waited politely for an answer, and after several minutes, an old, stooped man opened the door, his whole body bent and covered in sagging skin. His head was bald and his eyes, almost lost in the folds of the skin of his face, had so many cataracts he must have been nearly blind, if not completely. "So," he said, "You've come for me at last?"

"Yes," the young man replied in perfect Russian, "I thought you might choose somewhere in the country your last work was created." His strange golden eyes glittered in fury. "Quite foolish of you, really."

"Yes," the man said, "I know. Come in Krad." The golden angel blinked and followed the man inside. "You wanted me to find you," he said as he entered the small, three room house. The man nodded.

"Yes," he said, "I have been hoping for the past four hundred years that either you or Dark would end this eternal existence." He shakily grabbed a chair and pushed it to the small table in the center of the room, where another already sat. Krad made no move to help him, just watched and observed. The walls held no pictures, no paintings, only three shelves. One held books, one held a small vase filled with dried flowers, and the third was empty.

"I suppose you regret giving us life," he said, "After all, instead of creating a perfect being, you got a killer and a thief." The old man laughed.

"Syerdtsye never did fix you, did she?" He coughed. "Please, sit." Krad sat.

"Syerdtsye is destroyed," he said, "She killed a young woman, whose friend killed her." The old man didn't seem surprised.

"Well Krad," he said, "You seem…" he trailed off as another coughing fit took him. Krad stared at him impassively. "You seem troubled by this death. Of the girl, anyway."

"Yes," Krad replied, "I have a deal for you." He waited a moment as the old man coughed. "The Devil has treated you well," he said sarcastically. The old man stared at him. "Tell me what I want to know. Tell me how you brought the dead to life, and I'll do you any favor you ask."

"Krad," the old man said calmly, "I'll help you only if you promise to end my existence. I think that living in this body is worse than Hell." Krad nodded.

"Humans sin," he said, "They call me an angel of Lucifer, sometimes an angel of judgment. Dark and I… we are not human, yet we sin as well. Why should I not keep you alive and let you receive all of your punishment?"

"I won't tell you a thing I know," the old man wheezed, then another coughing fit overtook him and he doubled over hacking. Krad thought he saw him cough up blood.

"I have ways to make people speak," Krad hissed, curling his hand around the small sword charm that he had stolen from the Niwa's. Pheo had made it and given it to him. It wasn't a Hikari work, and the Niwa's had no right taking it. It glowed and grew to three feet long. The old man stared at it for a long moment, his eyes trying to take it in.

"If you kill me," he said, "I'll only take it as a blessing." Krad's eyes flashed like gold coins. "Come now Krad, even torture would be good. I would know death is coming, at the least." Krad snapped his fingers and a fire leapt to life in the small fireplace behind them. The old man didn't even look at it.

"Tell me how you brought the dead Niwa back to life," he said, honest curiosity in his voice. "Tell me about that, at least."

"He wasn't dead," the old man replied, "Only badly stunned." Krad sighed through his teeth. "Oh Krad," he whispered, "Thou who art insane, insane thou art, but who would dare call you that is but a fool. Ah, yes, you. Krad, the Hikari's demon, curse, plague! Why do you not leave me? Why have you chosen me as a vessel!" He smiled sadly.

"I have chosen you as a vessel because you were the one who was to be cursed for your meddling with life," Krad replied, speaking the words he had spoken so many centuries ago. "I shall plague you until you give birth to a son who reaches the age of fourteen. This shall be the Hikari's curse. Every male in the line shall be my vessel until they give me a new vessel… and such shall be until the end of time."

"Thou who art insane, I gave you a heart. Why do you still plague me?" Krad blinked.

"Sir," he said, showing the man the first respect he had all day, "You are insane. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll kill you." The old man sighed.

"You do not even remember my name, do you?" He asked. "Oh well. I suppose four hundred years is ample time to forget. Go to Japan," he told Krad, "Speak to a young healer by the name of 'Hateshiganai'. You will recognize her, I think."

"Where can I find her?" Krad asked.

"Find her where you were created," the old man replied. "Now, it is your part of the deal." Krad drew the sword.

"You are sure about this?" He asked. The old man nodded.

"Yes. I am over four-hundred years old. I am ready to die." There was a hiss and a flash, and the old man lay on the floor, stabbed a half inch below his heart. "Thank you…" he whispered, his foggy eyes clouding over with death.

"You're welcome," Krad replied, already halfway out of the house, his white wings now sprouting from his back. "May the Devil have mercy on your soul, Hikari." With that, he leapt through the door and took off, ignoring the gasps from the people around him. He had a good feeling they'd know what they'd find in the house. He turned himself back towards Japan.

_Time to go home, _he thought. My _real home. _

…

AN: Yes! I finally finished! Well, actually, this is just the first chapter, but I'm so happy it's finally done… Please R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: … I'm trying to decide how to say the disclaimer in a way that will make you laugh, but I'm not coming up with anything. So I guess I'll just say I don't own DN An- Dark, get back here! How dare you! *Chases after thief, who recently stole my necklace.* I'm going to murder you! No, I'm going to let Krad murder you!

Krad: *Sighs* Should I go get that Satoshi-sama?

Satoshi: Aren't you in Russia?

Krad: Oh yeah, I forgot. *Disappears*

Me: Dark, give me back my necklace! (It's a locket)

Dark: Why, what's in it? *Flies into air and attempts to pry open locket*

Me: *Attempts to stack enough chairs on top of each other to reach Dark, who is still trying to open the locket.*Just give it back, stupid thief!

AN: I really must enjoy doing this. I'm really sorry, but I'm super annoyed that I don't actually know _where _my necklace went (Although it's actually not a locket, it's a black heart-shaped padlock on a chain, but I loved that thing…) I'm just telling myself Dark stole it because I really have no idea what happened to it. I'll find it somewhere, and then I'll go kill that meddlesome thief with a butter knife. Anyway, TEM II chapter two.

…**..**

Lumi's POV

I could hear gasps and screams as I winged my way over Azumano, but I couldn't dwell on them, or the fact I was flying in broad daylight. I had to do two things: get to the Niwa's to get Dark, and then get Daisuke. And I hadn't really been thinking straight when I'd taken off; I hate wearing skirts as much as Gray, and wearing one while flying… yeah. Neither of us minded dresses terribly, but skirts were just… bleh. Luckily, I'd learned quite a few tricks from Dark and Towa over the last few months, including several spells (with no better name to give) that were just plain _cool, _such as the one that actually allowed me to switch outfits without having to get rid of my wings, since I hadn't been able to do so after they'd been burned by Honoo no Namida the night before Gray had been-

_Don't think about that, _I thought as my school uniform fizzled into my regular clothes: my purple high tops, blue jeans, and black shirt. I'd tried changing my hair color with magic, and decided finally on straightening my black hair and putting a thick purple streak down the right side of my face. I'd paled my skin as well so that I looked a bit more American. Not that I have anything against the Japanese, but just because I wanted to be recognized as 'not a native' in case I missed some sort of honorific or something stupid I'd do. Dark had told me I'd get even better at disguising myself as time went on, though my eyes would probably stay violet no matter what I did. I didn't care; I'd always loved my eyes. I wouldn't change them unless it was absolutely necessary.

I was approaching the Niwa's house now; it was growing larger in the distance. First, it was a speck on the horizon, then a dot, then a tiny house, getting bigger and bigger. My home now, the home that wasn't really home. I loved it there. But I couldn't forget why I had just flown out of school.

Fenga and Mura met me at the doorway. _Careful of the traps, _Mura warned me, twitching her long, purple tipped ears around. Fenga growled an agreement. It always felt good to see Fenga, since she was Gray's familiar and essentially a part of her. She had healed amazingly fast after she had been shot by one of Syerdtsye's arrows, and looking at her always made me smile, though she was quite a threatening sight when she wanted to be.

"Oh Mura," I said, scooping her up and putting her on my shoulder, "What would I do without you?" I jumped and flared my wings ever so slightly to avoid the floor that would fall the moment I touched it, then sent an electric current from the light switch through the wall (I can tap electricity, but not control it) to deactivate any spikes or poles or flesh-cutting lasers Emiko might have installed. I sent a thick pad of air over the floor to check for any pressure sensitive traps, but nothing turned up. I went down the hallway, still cautiously, still uncertain what else might turn up, my stomach turning backflips as Fenga padded gently after me. I was worried sick about Daisuke, but I couldn't do anything about it until I'd gotten Dark, and I couldn't do _that _until I'd gotten past the traps.

_Twang fwish. _I jumped back a second before an arrow embedded itself in the wall, an inch in front of my face. I stared at it for what felt like forever until Fenga gave me a small nudge on the back of my leg. Then I ducked my head and dashed forward as more arrows began to rain down on me. I knew Emiko's rule against shields in the house, but this… I had always believed Daisuke's mother to be slightly crazy, but this was something new. I _hated _arrows. Emiko _knew _I hated arrows. I don't think anyone who knew how Gray died could even look at one. So why…?

I skipped past the fake doors, leaping and dodging almost as well as Daisuke could as the normal spikes shot from the walls (though I did trip once). I touched the doorknob gently at the correct door, sighed in relief when I found it wasn't electrified (I happened to hate raw electricity, such as lightening. Again, I blame Syerdtsye) and stepped inside, and kicked off my shoes, breathing quickly from my brief sprint.

"Hello Lumi," Emiko said in surprise from the stairwell. She must have heard the front door open, because she had obviously been downstairs. "We're looking through some old documents, but there's still nothing." I sighed. I hadn't expected good news, but I hadn't come for it either.

"Hello Emiko-san," I replied, "I'd like to speak to Dark." Worry flickered in her eyes. "Actually, you all need to hear this. Towa and Argentine too."

"Where's Daisuke?" She asked, "Wouldn't he have come with you?" I sighed.

"You see, he's what I wanted to talk about." I suddenly felt oddly calm. Things would work out in the end; they always did. After all, I kept forgetting, this was Dark, Emiko, and Towa. Not to mention the others. I knew the three of them would go insane when they heard my news. So I was hesitant to tell them, but how else would I find Daisuke?

"Oh my…" Emiko trailed off, thoughtfully putting a hand to her cheek. "Why don't you come down? It'll be easier to get everyone together." By 'everyone', she meant the Niwa's, Dark, Towa, and Argentine, and normally Mura and Fenga, who were both still with me.

"Alright," I said, "That sounds fine." I followed her downstairs, where she quickly called everyone together. I stared at them, everyone gathered except Kosuke. Dark had come over to stand beside me, one wing wrapped around my back.

"So," he said, "What do you need to say?" I looked at him, astounded.

"You didn't… didn't get anything from Daisuke?" Dark looked at me in shock, and I returned his gaze equally. Everyone else looked at me strangely.

"Nothing," Dark said, "All day. Not a thing."

"He's been kidnapped."

If I could use one word to describe the scene that followed, I would have to look up a term that meant 'greater than extreme chaos'; maybe 'explosion'. Needless to say, everyone freaked out.

There was a small explosion of feathers I recognized as Dark spinning around, and I followed him without a second thought. "Wait!" It was Kosuke, and his voice was so strong it stopped us both in our tracks. Dark seemed to freeze, and I saw Towa had one hand held in front of her, so I assumed she'd used a binding spell to hold him in place.

"Nice," I commented as I walked over to Kosuke.

"Lumi," he said, "I found something I think you might find useful." He held it out with both hands, and inwardly, I recoiled. Settled against his palms was a bow of polished, light wood. A leather sheath of arrows hung off of his wrist. "I know how you feel about arrows," he said, "I understand. But this bow… well, it's another enchanted thing. Dark, do you remember stealing this?"

Dark looked at the bow for a long moment before answering. "Yeah," he said, "I do. It wasn't even considered to be a work of the Hikari's. What was its name again…?"

"Shinko Furaito," Kosuke said, "I believe."

"True Flight," I whispered. The thing still repulsed me, but I had nothing in the means of a weapon. And, maybe if I used it, I could better understand it. "_Know thy enemy" _was a phrase that had been driven into my head millions of times by many different people. "Thank you," I said, gently accepting the bow. It felt perfect in my hand, which made me wonder… "I will use it wisely." I felt almost like I was being too formal, but no one did so much as raise an eyebrow. Then Towa broke the binding spell on Dark and I took off after him. We had to go get Daisuke.

Before anything happened to him.

Satoshi's POV

I headed home as soon as I heard Riku's news, asking the girl to come to my house after school so that I could ask her a few questions. I never even expected to find what I did, and that became my biggest mistake.

Now I sat at the small table in the kitchen, staring blankly at the piece of paper that had sat in the middle of my room, which showed obvious signs of… well, of being trashed. It looked like a hurricane had gone through it, only the small scrap of paper sitting untouched. Written on it, in small, neat writing was a ransom note. Or maybe it was more of a threat. It could be considered both.

_Meet me at the foot of Kokuyoku tonight between five and six 'o' clock. I can wait as long as you need me to. I have waited before. It shall be the artist or the thief though. I will put the decision to you. _

_-Honoo no Namida_

I didn't understand what she –what _it_ had meant, but I had no intention of finding out, unless Lumi failed, but I doubted that. And the artist and the thief must have been me and Daisuke. But what decision? I shook my head, trying to shake the feeling that the answer was obvious. Not one of the Hikari artworks were stupid. Except maybe Chishio, but Gray had taken care of hi- it.

It was so hard to think of any of the artworks as simple _things _anymore. Especially after knowing Krad and Dark, and after seeing how well Towa and Argentine had been living with the Niwa's. They were so close to being human, and yet so far away… I knew I would be long dead before they even began to feel slightly older. I flipped the piece of paper over with a sigh. Maybe I'd go and talk to Saehara's father… no, I couldn't drag regular people into this. I had to do everything in my power to keep the rest of the police force out of this. And I would have to let Dark get away with the Silver Rose tonight as well, which was a shame. It had been one of my own works, which I had started working on the day after I'd seen the rose Krad had planted on _her _grave. It was beautiful now, always in perfect bloom, petals occasionally falling from one of the flowers like tears.

The work itself was a small rosebush, only about the size of a man's hand. I had thrown absolutely everything I had into that tiny piece; it had been my own way of remembering the girl who had been killed trying to save Krad. I'd spent three months getting the stems perfect, the veins on the leaves properly etched, and then another two and a half sculpting the three dark silver roses that graced the three center stems. In the center of each rose, although no one could tell, I'd gently welded a chip of amber. I'd been pleased with my work, but still wouldn't allow it to go to any of Japan's museums. It was still missing the Hikari's signature… and the breath of life that I couldn't give. I'd been able to give it my own signature, of course, and the one that would classify it as a Hikari work, but that breath…

I just couldn't – no, I wouldn't do it. My ancestors had brought artworks to life, yes, but it was because of them that Gray had died in the first place. So for another three weeks, the rosebush I had so painstakingly crafted sat on a bookshelf in one of my rooms. But it seemed to be developing a life of its own, even as it sat there. The sense of life one day was so great I stayed away from the room all day. It felt so out of place… and that same day, at about midnight (I had been unable to sleep), a voice whispered, "_Done, Satoshi." _It had sounded so much like Gray's voice I had to go up and look at the Silver Rose, and surely enough, it had sat there, glowing with a faint silver glow.

It seemed ridiculous for Gray to bring an artwork to life, especially with her being dead, but-

There was a knock at my door. I shoved the thoughts of the Silver Rose and Gray out of my head and glanced at the clock. School had been out for at least an hour. Riku had been… probably at track. I didn't know, not being one to keep up on school sports. I went to the door to greet her.

"Hello Hikari-kun," she said politely as she stepped inside. She was obviously still stressed, and her eyes looked slightly glassy, as though she had been crying a while before. She followed me into the kitchen (I had no real sitting room or anything of the like), where I searched for a second chair. Embarrassingly enough, there was only one other in the house: the chair I kept in my room, at my desk. It was identical to the one in the kitchen, which at least saved me the struggle (and embarrassment) of dragging an armchair out.

"I'm terribly sorry," I said as I sat down, "I hardly ever have anyone over." Riku rolled her eyes.

"You make this sound so formal," she said. I shrugged.

"Well, I just want to get a better picture of what happened today," I replied, "After you'd had time to calm down." She nodded.

"I suppose I should have figured as much. There's really not much… much to explain, because it happened so fast." She paused, as if unsure as how to best continue. "I had just met Daisuke outside of his English class, and we were walking across the grounds, trying to find Risa –I wanted her to see what the roof was like, and since she knew about Lumi I figured it wouldn't hurt. Daisuke was walking beside me." She stopped again, closing her eyes tightly. "And then there was this… it was like a flash, almost, like a burst of flame. And a yell, I remember that. He yelled something. Probably 'help'. And then he was gone."

"And then you ran up to tell us?" Riku nodded. "Why?"

"Because," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "You're the police commander. It made sense." She stopped, startled, "Right?"

"I think so," I said, trying to reassure her, "Did anyone else look like they saw anything?" Riku shook her head.

"No one even looked at me," she said, "Not even when I ran away." I sighed. Something was still missing.

"Thank you," I said after a long silence, "This helped me a lot." Riku stood.

"I'm glad I could have helped," she said, glancing at the clock. "Oh! I really have to get home now, I'm terribly sorry for running off; I told my parents I'd only be a little late!" With that, she disappeared. I didn't move, and about thirty seconds later, I heard the door slam. I still sat, frozen.

Something had just occurred to me. Honoo no Namida… Syerdtsye no Zyerkayao, they had both had a common goal:

To destroy me, and the Hikari line as well.

Somewhere in Japan…

Krad landed about three miles west of where he was headed and began walking east with the sun at his back. His wings disappeared as soon as his feet touched the ground. He had to try to blend in as best he could until he found Hateshiganai, whoever she was. _Honestly, _he thought, _Why bother going to see her? It's not like… _

_It's the only lead I have. I should at least look into it. This won't end like… oh god, like last time. _Pheo- Ella hadn't been dead, but… _she _had been. He shook his head, forcing the images out of his head. Damn Ryuu and all the Hikari… these _emotions_. Hadn't they been what had done this to him? But not his emotions of course, they had been those of his damned tamers. _Three miles was too long on my part, _he thought, _I should have just flown in. _Yeah right. If he'd done that, especially here, he'd have been killed for sure. Just out of fear.

Humans were like that.

_Fast three miles, _Krad thought quietly as houses seemed to spring up in front of him. He was so distracted he wasn't quite thinking straight, but he was _home. _This was where the Black Wings was created. This was where he was born. It hadn't changed very much in four-hundred years, only the occasional satellite dish or new café or hotel hinted at the technological society that lurked beyond the large town/small cities borders.

(AN: I have no idea how historically accurate this is going to be, I just thought it would be better than trying to describe Hateshiganai's house… which would have been impossible, you will be able to tell after you've met her.)

There was a market outdoors; scents of spices and flowers floating through the air, people speaking to one another as they walked along, browsing. Krad stopped at a small stall that sold flowers, earning him many odd sideways glances from passerby. He didn't mind, he would have gotten them no matter where he went. The woman who was tending the stall glanced at him. "Yes?"

"I'm looking for someone," Krad said, his eyes flickering from a camellia to a branch of cherry blossoms (a favorite of his, but he wasn't buying,) to a small bunch of forget-me-nots (which made him think of Gray.)

"I see a lot of people," the woman said, snipping thorns off of a white rose, "Be specific."

"A woman by the name of Hateshiganai," Krad said. The woman swore as she jabbed herself with a thorn. "Did I say something?"

"Yes you said something!" The woman snapped, "What do you want with my sister?" She pulled the thorn out of her palm, ignoring the blood that trickled from the small wound. Krad took a small step back.

"I was told to find her by… a Hikari in Russia," he said, caught off guard by the woman's reaction. "What is your name?"

"Takai," the woman said dismissively, "What did this Hikari say?"

"He said she could tell me something I wanted to know," Krad replied. _A woman named Death?_

"What was his first name?"

"It's been lost."

"What did he call himself?"

"Why does this matter?" Krad snapped. "If you won't tell me where she is, I'll ask someone else!" Takai grinned. Her teeth were stained.

"Oh, it matters Krad," she said, "Because I know you. And I don't trust you one bit." He hadn't told her his name. He'd never seen this woman before… Never. He had an excellent memory, but this Takai wasn't a part of any of them.

…

AN: Lumi and Dark step forward to rescue Daisuke. Honoo no Namida sends a strange note to Satoshi. And Krad? Well, just the everyday adventures of a murderous, white-winged angelic demon. But what about Lumi's new bow, Shinko Furaito? And who is Takai? And will she ever tell him about her sister? Review and tell me what you think! (And what you thought about the chapter, that'd be nice too.)

I'M SOOOOOOOO SORRY THIS IS LATE! I'm going to blame a) school, and b) homework. I can't wait 'till summer vacation starts, then I'll be FREE!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: Don't own DN Angel. I also didn't get the chance to kill Dark. (See previous disclaimer.)

…

Lumi's POV

As Dark and I flew over Azumano, I allowed myself to become lost in my thoughts and the sound of our wings. Shinko Furaito was slung over one shoulder, the wood of the bow resting on my back along with the quiver of arrows. I knew Dark knew where he was going; his and Daisuke's minds were still strongly connected.

I kept trying to remember Gray's document. I would have to read it over when I got back to the Niwa's house, because I was sure it had been trying to warn me about this very happening, and the bow, and other things. So many other things…

"Lumi!" Dark hissed, snapping me back into reality. Had we really gone that fast? I looked below me, only to see an image straight out of a nightmare. An old, abandoned church, with a ceiling that had once been stained glass. Now, only the edge of the jagged edge of what used to be a red pane of glass remained. This was Namida-san's home. I stared at Dark, who nodded. "Daisuke's in there," he said, "Him and a lot of other artworks." I remembered Syerdtsye's army then, the small group of artworks that she had managed to unseal when she had visited the Niwa residence and almost killed Dark.

"Okay," I said, "Shall we go?" Dark shook his head. I longed for Mura, but I'd told her to stay home, and Dark hadn't brought Wiz. He'd been relying on his own wings now that he wouldn't hurt Daisuke, so Wiz had been getting his first vacation in over four-hundred years.

"I want to go first," he said, "I don't like this at all." I rolled my eyes.

"If you go alone, and it _is _a trap, there's no way I could get help in time." I was thankful for the light cloud cover that shielded my eyes, since Dark had a habit of flying _really _high, even though I wasn't that acclimated yet, so I always had to look up at him. "Let's just go, get Daisuke, maybe kill Honoo, and get out." It was said with a gentle try at humor, but Dark took me seriously.

"No," he insisted, "I don't want you coming."

"Then why did you even bring me?" I snapped at him. "Quit trying to be such a gentleman and let me come!" Dark arched his eyebrows. I wasn't normally this snappish with him, so I guess I caught him off guard. Whatever the reason, he nodded.

"Just promise that if something goes wrong, you'll leave," he called as he dove past me. I sighed. Dark was so overprotective sometimes… I dove after him, relishing the feel of the wind on my face, and trying to forget where we were heading.

The two of us pulled up sharply about twenty feet from the roof, and glided to firm landing on a support beam. "I'll be careful," I promised Dark. He grinned at me, and I smiled back.

"Alright," he said, "Now, follow me, and be quiet." I nodded, and we swept down to the floor like a pair of wraiths. I was careful to fold my wings in a way that wouldn't stir the dust around me, and wouldn't trigger any pressure alarms. Dark had taught me this quite a while ago, and I was proud of myself for remembering.

Strangely, the church was deserted, but that made me feel no better. Images flashed through my mind; a column of flame wrapped around me, a flash of red glass, Gray's body as it had lain beneath the shattered red, her blood as it had pooled around her. Sounds and feelings came to me as well. My wings, as they had burned away from my back, Honoo no Namida's laugh, Syerdtsye's evil snicker, the rope that had tied Dark and I together, that had forced me to watch what I thought was my best friend's death, Ryoushi's whimpers as he had been bound with strands of flame, Gray's scream…

"Lumi," Dark whispered, jerking me back into reality, "Are you okay?" I realized that I was standing with my head down and my fists clenched, and carefully looked up at him.

"I don't know," I whispered back, "There are so many bad feelings in this place Dark. It almost hurts…" I whimpered, trying to suppress the feelings of pain and fear within my mind. "I'll be fine," I said after a moment, reaching up and touching Gray's necklace. "Let's just try and find Daisuke." The silence in this place was unnerving. Was there not an army stationed here? Who knew how many artworks Syerdtsye had managed to reawaken before her death, and the number that Honoo had managed to awaken herself?

"Are you sure?" Dark said gently, taking a step closer to me. I nodded.

"_Are you sure?_" A voice mocked, "Another stupid feeling, _Lumi?" _I whirled around, but no one was there. I looked all around me, but there was nothing. I glanced at Dark, who seemed just as confused as me. "Oh come come now, you surely aren't both so thick?" That was Honoo no Namida's voice; I recognized it now.

"Come out, Namida-san," I called respectively, "Come out, Namida-san, unless you are scared…" Something flitted just outside of my line of vision, and I turned to face it.

Nothing was there.

"Lumi, get out," Dark said. "Damn, I shouldn't have let you come…" he trailed off, circling; looking for whatever was in here with us. "Show yourself, worthless-" he got no farther. _Something_ darted behind him and he gasped. I saw blood glinting in a thin red stream down his back. "Who are you?"

Another darting movement, and then there was a streak of blood flowing cautiously down my arm. It took me a full two seconds to register the pain. Then I gasped. "Slow reflexes, Violet?" A teasing voice asked.

"Dark, this isn't time to joke," I snapped, glancing over at him. He was looking at me strangely.

"I didn't say anything," he said, "I didn't even open my mouth." Okay, now I was a little nervous. I could see that Dark wasn't lying, (or rather, sensed… telepathy is quite handy) but if Dark hadn't spoken, who had?

"I did," a raspy voice croaked. Dark and I both turned quickly, and I gasped. "You aren't the only one who can read minds, Miss Orvokki." Twenty or so feet away from us, a tall, lanky, redheaded boy stood relaxed, twin daggers resting in his palms. With a spin and a flick, the daggers shot up his sleeves. "In fact, you are only one of many."

"Where are the rest of you?" Dark snapped, taking a step to the left to shield me from this strange being. The boy laughed; a low, gruff noise.

"The rest of us? I believe you mean the rest of me," he said, and then his whole body blurred. "I suppose you've forgotten that Shinko Furaito means 'True Fright' as well." Chills shot down my spine, the bow on my back seemed to weigh ten pounds more. "Give me my bow girl." He was now standing behind me.

"No," I said, willing myself to sound confident. "I believe I'll hang on to this." He wrapped and arm around my neck and pinned me against him. I felt the bow dig into my wings, and whimpered. It hurt.

"Give me my, bow Candra Orvokki, before one of my daggers 'accidently' finds your throat." His voice dripped with ice-cold seriousness that made my blood run cold. Dark was staring at me, but he didn't move.

_His eyes are mist, _he was thinking. _What is this thing? _I whimpered slightly, trying to think of something I could do to get me out of this.

_What can I do? _I asked myself silently. _I can tap electricity, change my appearance, read minds… _I had more talents, but none of the others would be of any help to me right now. _Unless… _It would cost me a lot of energy, and I had only tried it once before… _Dark, should I put up a shield? _

_No, _he replied instantly. _Not yet. It's not worth it. _I blinked an okay. The boy's arm was still around my neck, so I didn't dare to nod. _Lumi, give him the bow. _I stared at him, he stared at me. _Just do it. Tell him you'll give it to him if he tells you where Daisuke is! _

"Who are you?" I asked instead. "Or rather, what?"

"I am Shinko Furaito," the boy said, "True Fright, True Flight. I was a Hikari work who chose to be stolen, and who chose to be sealed." Dark gasped. "That's correct Dark. I chose to be sealed; therefore, I could unseal myself at any time. I felt the presence of Syerdtsye finally awaken, and found her several days later." He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. "You seem to have quite a bit in common with Syerdtsye-sama," he remarked, looking at me. At least, I assumed he was looking at me, because Dark was right. Where his eyes should have been, there were twin clouds of silver mist.

"I am _nothing _like Syerdtsye," I said quietly, "Take your damn bow and tell me where Daisuke is." I shrugged his hands off of my shoulders and shucked the bow and quiver of arrows into my hands.

"Daisuke… I don't know," Shinko Furaito said, "Go ahead and look in my thoughts." His right hand blurred. "I thank you for returning my bow." He was holding both Shinko Furaito and the quiver of arrows now. I dove into his thoughts, searching for anything that could tell me where Daisuke was, but there really was nothing.

"Where's Honoo then?" I asked desperately as the boy turned, "Tell me that, at least!" Furaito laughed again.

"You say that like I _owe you something!_" He chuckled, "No, I will not tell you where Namida-sama is now," he shook his head. "She'll find you soon enough." The way he said that sent chills down my spine. Then he blurred and was gone.

"Dark," I whispered, "I think… no, we need to get out of here." Dark nodded his agreement.

"But first, see if you can get an idea as to where Daisuke is," I was watching his lips move, so I knew it was him speaking, but I couldn't decide why he'd said that.

"Did you lose him?" I asked. Dark's shoulders slumped ever so slightly, and he nodded.

"The signal went dead as soon as we landed," he admitted. "I just… it feels like he'd be here though." I nodded. After all, this was Honoo's home, a place she seemed very attached to.

I sent out a small spark of blue from my palm. It hovered in front of me and began to grow, until it was about the size of a cantaloupe and translucent. "Niwa Daisuke," I requested of the blue orb, tracing his name on it. It had taken me such a long time to learn how to do this properly, but now I knew what I needed to do.

I closed my eyes and tried to draw a picture of Daisuke in my mind. I started with his face, trying to remember every detail, even the tooth he'd chipped when he'd forgotten about one of the banana peel traps and crashed into a wall. (Interesting day that had been.) The face was always the hardest and the easiest at the same time. There was so much detail, but it was also familiar. From his face, I simply went down. I felt myself trembling from the sheer effort I had to put into the mental painting, but at the same time, I felt secure in my strength and power.

Until every inch of my body went rigid. My eyes flew open, the blue orb of magic vanished, and to replace it was a ball of flame, glowing and sparking like the sun.

In it, I saw only one thing: A single, bloodshot, violet eye.

"Dark?" I whispered. There was no reply. "DARK!" Nobody was there.

With Krad…

Krad stared at the old woman for a long moment, trying as hard as he could to place her _somewhere _in his memories. "I don't know you," he stated after a moment. "I've never seen you before in my life."

"Oh, say as you wish," Takai replied, "But I am someone who was greatly loved by… an old friend of yours, I shall say." Krad's expression remained blank for several moments more, but then a look of shock passed over his face as his memories began to flow.

_Dark had gotten away again. Ryuu-sama had woken too late, (not that I would ever blame him) and the kaitou had been flying out of the window just as we had arrived. I'd chased after him for awhile, but… well, it had been a normal night, say the least._

'_Krad,' Ryuu-sama whispered to me, 'Go to that window.' I sent a slight curious spike through my thoughts to prompt him to continue. 'Just do as I say.' I blinked, surprised, but did as he asked. It was unlike him to not give an explanation, but I didn't think too much of it. He and I were… I suppose you might even say friends. 'And give me control once you're there.' _

'_Why?' I asked, purposely darting away from the box of gold-yellow light. _

'_Krad, just do it,' Ryuu-sama said with a sigh, 'I'm not in the mood to be questioned tonight.' I didn't know what to make of his words, but I could tell now it wasn't a good time to ask._

"_Yes, Ryuu-sama," I said aloud, swooping down towards the window sill. Before I gave Ryuu his form back, I glanced into the room. In the room was a bed, and in the bed lay a sickly looking young girl. Her face was pale, and her black hair was messy and oily, as though it hadn't been washed in a while. She seemed almost bone thin, and her breath came shallowly._

'_Her name is __Itonami,' Ryuu said, 'Her parents named her 'Life' when they found out she was dying, in hopes that it would give her strength to keep fighting and get better. But it doesn't seem like she will…' I'd never heard Ryuu sound like this. 'I love her Krad…' I closed my eyes and let him take over._

'_Ryuu-sama,' I thought carefully to him as he stared in the window, 'I… I don't want to leave, but… I want to help you help her.' Ryuu stiffened as he gently tapped the girl's window. _

'_There's nothing you can do,' Ryuu replied sadly as the girl stirred slightly at the sound. 'She's almost gone now…' Itonami's eyes fluttered open as he tapped on the window again. Her eyes were deep brown and dim, though they had obviously once been bright and beautiful. _

"You remember me then?" Takai asked, "I thought so. My though, you don't seem to have a very good grip on your memories." Krad bristled, but stayed silent.

"Yes," he said, "But I don't understand why you don't trust me." Takai snorted and turned back to her flowers.

"Then go back to where you came from," she said, "You'll get nothing more from me." The sight of this old woman turning her back on him, combined with her words had a strange effect on Krad. Even though, in all of his existence, he had never really known 'disappointment', as he had heard his masters call it, he was certain that was the proper way to describe how he felt now.

No, not disappointment –this was a feeling of despair.

"Takai," a strong voice called, "Who is this?" Takai didn't move as she answered.

"He is a Hikari," she replied, "He's been looking for you." Krad turned to see someone walking towards him. He blinked and shook his head as the shadows began creeping into his vision again; the shadows he thought he'd banished.

A figure made of shadows and moonlight was walking towards him. Except that now it was a shadow made of more shadows. "Gray," he whispered in shock, "Gray!"

"No," the flowing shadow replied as Krad's vision gave over to the blackness and shadows that enveloped it whenever he thought of her, "I am Hateshiganai. What do you want of me?"

She looked almost exactly like Gray. The only difference was her haunted eyes.

…

AN: Chapter three, as promised! I love all of you, my faithful reviewers, for sticking with me through my sporadic updates! *Hugs*


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Disclaimer: Don't own DN Angel, I've got to finish this disclaimer before I lose my inspiration for this chapter, sorry!

**…**

Lumi's POV

"Dark?" I whispered again. The empty church was so still and silent I could hear my heart beating and see my fingers trembling. "Dark?" I glanced about me and realized it wasn't my fingers that were trembling, but the tears welling in my eyes.

_Lumi. _I could only faintly hear Dark's thoughts. They sounded fuzzy, like static from a badly tuned radio. _Get out… hurry… Namida… be fine… Taking me… Daisuke… _Then there was nothing.

Satoshi's POV

I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the note that still lay in front of me. _Honoo no Namida wants me dead, _I thought. _I can understand why, even, but… she's good. She knows how close I am to Daisuke. That we're friends. She even knows where I moved to. _I supposed you forgot my old house burned down? Well, there's a simple reminder. I'd lived with Daisuke and his family for a while, but I enjoyed being on my own.

For a moment, I stared at the table and allowed my thoughts to wander about. Then I shook my head and stood. _If it's the artist or the thief she wants, _I thought, _I'd best go find Dark. _I stood and got ready to go to the Niwa's house.

**…**

As I approached the Niwa's front door, Lumi swooped down beside me. She'd been learning how to fly like an owl, on silent wings, so I jumped when she thudded down beside me, a panicked look in her eyes. "Hello Lumi," I said, surprised. She didn't even look at me. She looked like she was in shock.

"They- she- it…" she whispered, "Dark…" Then she seemed to snap out of the trance she was in and ran inside, kicking off her shoes without pausing.

_She didn't break down the door, _I thought dryly. _What a surprise. _Then I decided to come in myself. _No… I should probably knock. _So I closed the door and politely rapped on it. Lumi swung it open a second later, pulled me inside, and ran back down the hallway. I took off my shoes and took a step in, half expecting the floor to fall in beneath me. Thankfully, it didn't.

I met Fenga halfway down the hall, and stopped to scratch her ears. She growled a thank-you, (or what I think was a thank-you) and led me the rest of the way to the Niwa's living room. I noticed that her broken wings were fully healed now, and she was walking with a spring in her step. Lumi had told us that Gray and Fenga were still connected, so wherever she was, Gray must not be in any mortal peril.

When I walked in, Fenga only a foot or so ahead of me, I could tell that whatever was about to be thrown at me wouldn't be good news. Lumi was sitting on the couch with Mura in her lap and Emiko and Towa, whom she was talking to in dazed tones, sitting beside her. She must have been in shock.

"There was another half to the bow," she muttered, staring at the floor. "And then… it cut me…" Only then did I notice a long cut running down her arm. "I was trying to figure out where Daisuke was. Dark lost his signal. I don't know who took him, but he's in danger."

"But we already know Honoo took Daisuke," Emiko said gently. "Lumi, what happened to you? Did you find Dai's signal? Is that where Dark is?" Lumi sighed, put her head in her hands, bit her palm (as near as I can figure) and screamed softly.

"Someone kidnapped Dark," she clarified. "I don't know who." She stroked Mura's head carefully, like she might break her.

"What do you mean?" Emiko asked, wide-eyed. "Can't you just find him?"

"I can't sense him, or Daisuke, or anyone else…" Lumi squeezed her eyes shut. "Did you already send out that warning letter?" Emiko nodded.

"But we'll have to just let it slide," she assured her. "I doesn't matter." Mura twitched her ears, but Lumi only sighed.

"I thought as much," she whispered, "I guess… well, I suppose, Satoshi, that you'll call off the police force?" She still looked to be in shock, and I was surprised she had remembered I was even there.

"It would be suspicious if I knew Dark wasn't showing up," I began, but then began thinking. "But if… Lumi, you could disguise yourself as him and steal –Wait, what am I saying?" Lumi shook her head.

"I have to go after him anyway," she muttered. "I couldn't steal it if I wanted to."

Then I remembered why I'd come here. "You can't," I said, "You can't go after her- after it, tonight. She'll murder you." I pulled out the note I'd been left and spread it out on the coffee table. "The artist or the thief." Lumi froze.

"Oh God… Dark and Daisuke." Her words hung in the air for one second. Then two. Then a minute, then a year, then a life. About a life and a half later (or at least, that's what it felt like), Lumi broke the silence. "Satoshi, come on." Her plan passed through my head in a whirl of full color pictures and sounds, and I nodded before calling on my wings. I hadn't considered that Daisuke would be the artist, but now…

All the pieces were falling into place, and the picture of this puzzle was becoming horribly real. Someone, a human, was going to die. _Just don't let it be Daisuke… _I didn't know it at the time, but our next casualty would be yet another artwork. Yet another person sacrificing themselves to save another's life.

With Krad…

Hateshiganai walked down the street without another word, looking neither left nor right as she went. Krad, dazed and seeing only shadow on shadow, followed several steps behind. _She's not Gray, _he told himself, hoping the shadows would clear. _She can't be. Gray is why I came here… she isn't Gray! _

"Come on," Hateshiganai snapped, "Hurry, hurry." She glanced back as she said it, and suddenly Krad began picking out differences between her and Gray. Hateshiganai's eyes were deeper and darker, and her nose appeared to have been broken. The shadows began to lighten as he began to shift his thoughts elsewhere.

Her hair was a lighter shade of silver, as though it had turned that color through age (though she still looked at the eldest, seventeen) and wasn't natural. She didn't have wings, and she didn't wear Gray's combat boots or her necklace. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"To my own little shop," she answered curtly. Her voice was different then Gray's. It was thin, like the breeze moving through the branches of a weeping willow, and spoke of times untold. She turned back towards him again. "We are almost there." She was blind. Her deep, haunted eyes obviously couldn't see him.

"You're blind," Krad said in shock.

"Yes," she replied, "I am blind to the present. The future, however, cannot hide from me, and I expected you."

"How are you walking like you are?"

"I see my steps before I take them," she replied. "My Sight can take me years to the future, or only a few seconds. I think you may wish to duck." Krad saw the tree branch, moved his head accordingly, and smiled. "Please forgive my sister… living eternally on the brink of death has made her bitter." Krad flinched. "It is not your fault. You tried."

"I made a terrible mistake. I cannot do it this time." The Seer shook her head sadly.

"Krad, you must understand that some things cannot be changed. Sometimes, people you love are meant to go." Krad stared at her in shock. "Gray died for a good cause. Could this be what she wanted?"

"Gray wouldn't have left us," he said. "She came to me, the night she died, and told me to look for her. Why would she do that if she did not wish to return?"

"Come over this way," the woman gestured. "I am yet another old lady trying to earn a living selling flowers." Krad chuckled, but stopped when he saw some of the plants the Seer sold.

These were… beyond all imagination. "Where are these from?" He asked in wonder, looking at them.

"They are spell flowers," Hateshiganai replied, "Flowers that bloom when a spell of light is cast. In fact…" she walked over to a rosebush covered in gold-yellow buds. "This one is yours." Krad followed her over. "See, it senses its creator." As Krad approached, the flowers slowly burst into bloom.

"I have never… never heard of these," he said, blinking. "How are they possible?"

"How are you possible?" The woman replied, "No one knows, but they are there. Now come, we will talk." She sat down on a chair, gesturing for Krad to sit down in another. "She came to you in a dream?" It took Krad a moment to remember what he had told her, but then he did, and spoke.

"Not a dream, but she spoke to me." The old woman nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. "She told me to look for her in a white forest, locked up." There had been something else, something about a spinning wheel, but it seemed insignificant. "She said that she would not forget me, and that she couldn't speak. I interpreted that to mean she couldn't use her own words, and I believe they may have been from songs." Another nod from the woman. "I have heard nothing else from her."

"So little to go by," she said. "What a shame. Krad, I cannot say much on this subject, but allow to consult time, if you would." Without waiting for an answer, she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed. A moment later, her blind eyes opened, and she slumped forward. "Go back to Azumano," she whispered. "Seek out the Shining Violet."

"Can you tell me nothing more?" Krad asked.

"Only this: a silver rose awaits you."

**…**

AN: So… short… *sobs* I hope you liked the bit with Krad at the end though; I had fun writing more with Hateshiganai. (Oh, by the way, I think it's pronounced like **Haa-tay-shi-gah-ni-ee**… if you say that fast... I'm terrible with teaching pronunciations, sorry!)

Anyway, you know the drill! R&R!


	5. Chapter 5

_I wished for an adventure. Lumi, I wished for an adventure, and this is what happened. I dragged you and me away from our homes, from our world, and I got my parents and I killed. I was a fool Lumi; I'm so sorry. It pains me to even think of what our lives might have _b_een like if this hadn't happened, if DN Angel had never _b_ecome this real to us. Would you have really fallen in love with your crush? Would I have ever stopped worshipping Krad and moved on? Would my parents have lived? _

_Lumi, I don't know, but… I think so. I wish it would have, almost. Then I wouldn't have to be typing this goodbye to you. I'll miss you in these yea_r_s to come, if you can't bring me back. Remember Lumi; don't kill yourself looking for me. No matter what happens, live and enjoy life. I won't be mad at you for that. Just remember me. _

_Remember me, Gray Valo, the hopeless klutz who couldn't even stand on two feet without falling over. But remember me as a friend, a near and dear fr_i_end. Remember me as the girl who loved black, who had a heart of white. Remember._

_In the coming years, Lumi, you will find there is a price to betrayal, and you must test its limits. I've Seen some of the disguises you will wear… of friends and enemies. Living and dead. It will not be easy, but you must. I can o_n_ly come to you three times throughout the years you look for me, because I can tell I'll have to speak to Dark once, and I must send thoughts to Krad. Without him, you will surely fail, and without me… I'm terrified _he _will._

_Lumi, I would tell you of my vision in the fountain, but that was simply me watching my own death. Yes, I knew that I would die in the end, but I knew I was dyin_g_ for a good cause, and that made it alright. But I would like to tell you of the vision my parents sent to me, through a specific song. Do you ever remember listening to 'Blackbird' by the Beatles? If not, go listen to it to refresh your memory. I don't know why it sent me the vision it did, but… here it is:_

_In my vision, I see myself typing this document, typing it quickly so as not to forget. There is something much more pressing on my _m_ind. _

_There is a flash of white, and I am shoved into the future. Now you are sitting at the same chair I was, and reading a much longer document than the one I was typing up, but quite obviously the same one. Your eyes are ringed with red, as though you have been crying, and I want d_e_sperately to know what is going on, because I know that I am dead and gone as you read. However, I cannot, and I feel suddenly compelled to look over your shoulder and read the words I am to write. This is what I read:_

_First _t_here is simply what I have already typed, explaining, and then it changes to this:_

The tears of flame enter slowly into the wounds I have suffered deep. I am held, bound, locked in a room where I can see nothing but white. I am not cold, but not hot either. I am only there. I wish I wasn't. I feel as though every second, I fade. I fade and fade… and then… _o_h, there will soon be nothing left. My window is closing Lumi… I need to find some way to stop it. I'm not ready to die yet!

_I've no idea what this means, I haven't seen into the future to see this, but it clicks into a slot in my brain and I remember the words. Oddly, this exp_l_anation is also there … but consider it a time paradox and don't think of it too much. It gives you a headache. (Or at least, it did me.) I hope I'm not confusing you. Here, read on._

As I sit in the room of white shadows, the white forest, as I call it, I hear the gentle clanking of chains. Perchance I am bound within a prison? Who _i_s to know? Not I, not I. Ah, but I sound so old… here, forgive me for that if you will.

I sit awake in this room, trying to keep my eyes from closing. Is this Purgatory? I hope not, that would mean I am another step closer to death, and I have made it clear I don't want to die. I'm terrified of closing my eyes, for fear of not ever waking up again. I know, I know… a childish _f_ear, but I can't shake it. Lumi, listen to me and listen close: I was terrified when I faced Syerdtsye, and I still am. Don't be afraid to face your fears Lumi, please don't. If you fear, you will fail. Be smart, but not afraid.

Hm, I was repeating myself there, wasn't I? Ah well. My time here is almost up Lumi. I wish I could tell you more, or speak these words to you myself instead of leaving them in print, but I cannot. But I can leave you some clues as to what shall happen in my absenc_e._

_Fear for fire and shadow_

_The rose not planted on my grave_

_Laugh and bask in moonlight_

_White wings fore'er unchained._

_Dance in glow of midnight_

_Fly up through the air_

_Deadly voices call the bird_

_Remind her to beware._

_Ice has made me what I am_

_And told me where to go…_

_The painfully bare forest_

_To be awakened in the snow._

And then there is a warning for you, Lumi. You have to be careful, because in the end, you will decide the outcome to many things. Lumi, listen well. You are the point of light that will shine in even the darkest of moments, and there will be many attempts on your life because of it. But never stop being the beacon, the flame that others will flock to. Never lose hope.

I'm sorry it had to end like this Lumi. Goodbye, if we do not meet again.

…

I stared at her final words again, feeling the hot sting of tears at the back of my eyes. Even now, reading about this, this last piece, hurt worse than the sight of her being shot in front of my eyes.

It hurt because it told me… that she had known. That she had known and been afraid and gone ahead with it anyway, because she had wanted to free Krad so badly… she died for him. "She died for him and he didn't even come to her funeral," I whispered. "That self-centered, cold-hearted, sick, twisted, psychotic, evil…" I clenched my teeth. I didn't swear. It wasn't something I did, ever, and I wasn't going to start now.

"Lumi, just take a minute," Satoshi said from behind me. This was the only bit of my plan that had bothered him, mainly because he thought it was a waste of time, time we could be using to prepare. "Take a breath, try to relax…"

"Fear for fire and shadow," I muttered, "That's Dark and Daisuke. It has to be. The rose not planted at her grave… That's the Silver Rose. But why fear for it?" I looked at my arm, almost hoping that it would burn and send me a message.

My magic was so weak compared to the displays of power Gray had given… I couldn't throw up shields; I could hardly fight without falling out of the air… I could change my appearance, channel electricity and sneak around almost undetected… but that wouldn't help Satoshi any unless Namida-san got her finger stuck in a light socket. And even then, she'd probably just set me on fire again…

"Lumi?" Satoshi's worried voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I realized why he sounded so odd. The plastic wireless mouse was melting in my hand. With a yelp, I tried to take my hand away from it, but strands of half melted plastic stuck to my skin like pulled taffy. I took a deep breath and willed myself to calm down, willed my hand to cool. I felt the plastic harden somewhat, and tore it away from me. It ripped away some of my skin, and it stung like mad, but I didn't have time to think about it.

It was early evening. There was school tomorrow. I had to go and rescue Dark and Daisuke. Mura was sleeping, under my orders. (The sleeping potion Towa had given her probably helped somewhat.) I wanted her to come, but she wasn't needed and I was terrified of her being hurt. "Satoshi, should we go yet?"

"A few more minutes," he replied. "Do you feel okay?"

I decided to be honest. "No. I feel like I'm going to pass out, my stomach hurts, and my wings ache. I keep imagining what will happen if we fail, and I miss Gray." I knew I sounded like I was whining, but he had asked and I had spoken. "I'm scared Satoshi. I'm terrified of losing anyone else. I'm terrified of losing myself. What if we can't bring her back? What if we can't even save these two?"

"We will," he reassured me. "You've got a good head on your shoulders to think up a plan like what we've got now… even if it could fail in about ten thousand different ways."

"The plan's terrible," I smiled, "But I think if we just follow her instructions… or, you do at any case, we should be fine." My plan had been simple and rather stupid. Satoshi would try to distract the artwork, try to bargain with or threaten her, while I helped Dark and Daisuke escape.

I know. Stupid. Simple. We'd probably be seen through and I'd end up having to save Satoshi. But if I could find where the two were, at least, and release Dark… they'd have a chance.

If only I had known about what was to happen…

In the air above Azumano…

Krad coasted on a thermal about fifteen thousand feet above the city he had learned to call home. He still wasn't sure why he had come back, not now, but…

Oh right, the altitude. Hey, he's got magic coursing through his veins, he's been flying like this for the past four hundred years… he's fine.

It was mid-afternoon when he got to the city, and he had been careful to remain out of sight. His eyes weren't of much use this far up, but he could still pick up certain landmarks. The high school, the skyscraper he and Gray had gone to… the sea, several hundred miles away, where he had found Ella half-dead.

He shook those memories out of his head. _Ryoushi. _

_Yes master? _Krad had no idea where his familiar was, but he had ordered him to leave him shortly after he left Gray's grave. He had told him to stay away from him and Azumano until he was called.

_Come here._

_Yes master. _It might take him days to get here, weeks or even a month. But he would come back. One less thing on Krad's mind. With a gentle twitch of his wings, he circled the city several times, then came to rest with a gentle 'thud' on his and Gray's skyscraper. He could have chosen a higher vantage point, but… this felt right. He would wait for Ryoushi here, and then go and look for the silver rose Hateshiganai had been speaking of. Certainly she hadn't meant the one he had planted.

Only after this was done would he seek out Candra Orvokki.

Krad waited as the shadows in the city grew longer and longer, and the sun sank lower in the sky. He watched the western horizon like a hawk would watch its prey –never allowing himself to look away.

But if he had… he might have seen the two winged figures that swooped past behind him, and the small form that followed them.

…

AN: Wow. It's still not as long as I would like, but it seems like this is as long as it'll go. Shame… oh well. You'll be seeing much more of Krad in these next few chapters, so I won't need to use so many scene changes. Maybe that'll help.

Anyway, please review! Comments and constructive criticism are always welcomed! Oh, and I don't own DN Angel! (I forgot to out that up at the beginning…)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Disclaimer: Yeah. You know what? Technically this is thirty-six chapters into this story. I'm pretty sure I don't own DN Angel, but… for the sake of avoiding lawsuits, I'll check again. *googles 'who owns DN Angel?'*

Okay, still owned by Sugisaki Yukiru! I DON'T OWN DN ANGEL!

**...**

As the sun went down, Krad watched it go without worry. He had all the time in the world to wait. Ryoushi would come eventually… _Satoshi-sama, _he said pleasantly, stretching a tendril of thought out towards his tamer, _How have you been? _He felt the boy flinch, surprised by his sudden presence, and chuckled to himself.

_Krad! Where are you?_

_Nowhere you need to know of, Satoshi-sama, _Krad replied chidingly. _I am not quite ready to be discovered yet._ He smiled to himself, enjoying being in the presence of his tamer for the first time in half a year. Though he would never admit this to anyone, it was a comforting feeling, like a son who had moved out and was now visiting his father. _I'll leave you alone now. _

_Wait, Krad. _Satoshi's voice was suddenly serious. _Where… where are you? I want to see you again. _Krad pondered his words for a moment. The chances of the boy having an artwork capable of sealing him were slim, but there was no way he'd be able to get to the top of a skyscraper.

_You wouldn't be able to find me. _He felt guilty dismissing Satoshi like this, but he didn't want to face him yet. He couldn't. He still wasn't himself. He closed his eyes and gently pushed the boy out of his mind. It was so peaceful here… and relaxing…

He let his eyes drift shut, and fell asleep for the first time in what seemed to be years.

Lumi's POV

I flew on through the sky, through the air and clouds wrapped in the misty purple of twilight. I heard Satoshi behind me, but paid him no attention. At the moment, to me… he was a distraction. I had to contact Dark. In case something went wrong, in case I didn't see him again… because Satoshi and I had changed one minor detail of our plans.

At my insistence, I would be talking to Honoo no Namida, disguised as him. He didn't like it, and to be honest with you, neither did I, but if something went wrong and he got hurt, or even killed… I would never be able to forgive myself. Besides, I was sure I could give her something to remember for burning my wings off.

But no… I had to remind myself, this was not for revenge. I would not become a hopeless manic, questing fruitlessly for those who had wronged me. I would not become a being who was like Krad, or even… though it pains my heart to say it, like Gray. I didn't want to become someone who had to kill, or wanted to kill… or… anything, really. That I had killed Syerdtsye still startled and haunted me…

Syerdtsye. The thought hit me like a rock, and I wondered why I hadn't figured it out before. Brown hair, green eyes… she'd been tan… still about my height, had a tendency to use Gray's wings or a pair of lighter silver ones… Yes, yes, I could probably pull that off… But my eyes didn't change. Or, they weren't supposed to. Green eyes… green, bright, acid green… My irises were draining of color, and they were being filled again, and it burned…

"Lumi!" Satoshi's voice snapped me out of my self induced trance.

"What happened?" I asked, my eyes stinging.

"You dropped almost fifty feet, I was sure you were going to crash…" Satoshi trailed off. "Your eyes."

"What?" I asked, "Are they –?"

"Bright green," he said. I smiled as I turned to continue flying.

"That's good." I told him nothing about my sudden change of our plans; I knew it would not delay him. This way, even, it could be safer for us all. He'd figure it out. "Just do what we planned."

For another few minutes, we flew in silence, broken only by Satoshi giving a small gasp. I glanced back at him, but he shook his head. I gave him a moment, hovering in the air, but he shooed me onwards and I remembered that we were supposed to arrive separately. I felt like this had been planned… _Gray, probably, _I thought, and was surprised by the bitterness in my mind.

I suppose I'd better just come out and admit it: I was jealous. I wanted to be like Gray, who'd always known what to do and say no matter what the issue might have been, who had a sarcastic answer ready on her lips the moment a question was asked, who had been powerful and crazed and funny and… Gray. She'd always been herself, even when 'herself' wasn't what people wanted her to be. And I wanted to be like that… but I wasn't sure who I was anymore.

But I continued to concentrate on Syerdtsye, and as I did, I began to feel my form flickering and changing. My spine snapped and popped as I grew an inch or so to her height, my head began to pound as my hair became long and brown, and my skin tingled as it darkened to match her own. I could almost see my wings shimmer and become silver; light and beautiful silver. I wondered who had once had these wings, what they had been like, if he or she had known about Dark or Krad.

I hit a thermal and glided for a few minutes, the wind ruffling my feathers and making my eyes water. I hoped Satoshi was alright, that he would make it in time… this whole thing hinged on time. I could only pretend to be the mortal-despising, evil, slightly insane Syerdtsye for so long before I made a slip or was forced to reveal myself. And if Satoshi wasn't out before then, with Dark and Daisuke or without… I didn't dare think of what could happen. I wouldn't.

_Journal Entry, 6-12-11_

Krad contacted me today. I haven't heard anything from him or Ryoushi in almost six months, so naturally, I was surprised. Even more surprising to me, was what he said when I offered to release him from the Hikari line.

He said no.

_Krad, what do mean? _I had snapped, strangely furious at him. I wanted to be rid of him, knew that he probably wanted to be rid of me, but he wouldn't accept the release I was offering him? What notion had taken his mind this time? (Believe me, he's had some crazy ideas before.)

_I mean, Satoshi-sama, that I do not wish to be freed yet, _he had replied, painfully calm, with that collected voice that always made me want to hit him._ It is that simple. I want to be released from the Hikari line with your death. _He made it sound so plain, so easy to do… yet it was so morbid.

_And what if I die abruptly? _I had asked, just to put a wrench in his plan.

Krad was silent for a long moment. _Well, if that is the case, I'll probably disappear, unless you have a son, or the Hikari line lives within another. I suppose they wouldn't take that well, but I do quite wish to stay here for a bit longer. _I sighed. He'd approached that just as I thought he would…

_Fine, _I had thought to him, _When I die, I'll free you. _But now, as I sit here, I wonder how long I'll live. It's odd, thinking about the world without yourself there, but… at the same time, you can tell yourself that, even without you, the world would probably be the same way it is.

Excuse me, I have to go turn on some lights. (Note to self: Never ponder morality in the dark.)

As an afterthought, I must send this to Lumi. She finds some of these entries interesting. (Although I'd have preferred her telling me that she was reading this instead of walking in on her typing up a separate entry at almost midnight.)

Lumi's POV

As I neared the church, my stomach began tying itself into a series of very elaborate knots. I don't quite remember what I'd gotten so shaken up for, but after all that has happened I've forgotten many small details of our adventures. _I ought to start a journal like Satoshi's doing, _I thought, smiling as I remembered the time I was typing up (and editing) a separate entry… I believe you read it; it was when he came over to the Niwa's. Oh, he was furious…

But anyway, back to the church. Why had we decided to go to the church, when Honoo no Namida was with the Black Wings? Well… to be perfectly honest, we didn't. But as I was gliding on that thermal, I began thinking. If Syerdtsye knew where Honoo was immediately, if she had been dead, it would raise some suspicion. I didn't want to be found out immediately; I would stop briefly at the church and demand to talk to Namida-san. Then I would be directed to the museum, and hopefully still beat Satoshi there.

Hopefully. There were still a lot of things that could go wrong with the plan. Lots and lots of things. More than I knew.

…

As I folded my now silver wings at my back, I stared around the seemingly deserted church. "Who is here?" I asked loudly, haughtily. "I demand you to come out!" Nothing moved. "Come now, you cannot come to welcome your leader back? You think a _mortal _could kill me? Pah! Now come! I must speak with Namida-san."

Finally, I got a reaction. In the shadows, a figure stirred and stepped towards me. A pale figure, with shoulder length, messy black hair, dressed in black. "Sssyerdtsssye-ssssama," he said with a bow, hissing, I guessed, because of the fangs that sprouted from his mouth, "To sssee you back isss ssuch an honor… an honor…"

"State your name," I snapped.

"I am Kyuuketssssuki," he said, "I hoped you would remember me… you brought me back from the horrid work I wassss trapped in after killing and being killed by Karudo." I felt like I had had a bucket of ice water poured over my head. This was the being, the artwork, responsible for Krad's –and indirectly Gray's, deaths.

I shook the feeling off and snapped, "Where is Namida-san? I need to speak to her."

"Ssshe hasss gone to visit the Black Wings, Sssyerdtsssye-sssama," Kyuuketsuki replied. "Do you wissssh for me to essscort you there?" I looked at him for a moment.

"Does it _look _as though I need an escort? Do you think there is someone out there who can harm me? Ha!" I laughed and turned away, taking flight instantly. I assumed I had played my role well, and hoped my ruse would continue to be effective at the museum. (I can never keep the names straight, I'm terribly sorry.)

I never knew a disguise could be too good before.

With Krad…

The angel was startled out of his sleep as a golden winged, white blur flew up to him, yipping and trying to lick his face. It was Ryoushi, of course, his faithful companion, his immortal familiar. He shoved the dog away from him and stood. It was time to go now, to seek out whatever silver rose Hateshiganai had told him about, and to find Candra.

"Come Ryoushi," he said, leaping off of the building, "Time to hunt." The dog winged after his master, smiling as all dogs do, knowing he was glad to see him, even if the white-winged being didn't show it. He knew that his master cared deeply for him… he heard Krad's instructions whisper through his mind, and set off after him. Quickly, he overtook his master, and shot forward, guiding him towards his –and therefore their –target.

…

Krad wasn't sure why he had changed his plans; whether it had been a spark of whimsy or something greater, but… he had decided to send Ryoushi on the hunt for Candra first. It was as though something had told him that the girl could lead him to what he sought, and he was willing to take the chance that she didn't know, because if she did, it would save him hours –perhaps days –of searching. But as he followed Ryoushi, he felt cold fear flood his heart:

They were flying to where _she _had died. He didn't dare even _think _her name, so mind-consuming were those shadows that enveloped his sight when he did. But he followed his hunting hound faithfully.

He had no way of knowing who he would see when he reached his destination.

Lumi's POV

When I landed in front of the museum, it was empty, which was strange, as it didn't close before ten 'o' clock most nights. But, of course, this wasn't an ordinary night. So now, at five thirty, I stood before the doors of the museum, a perfect copy of Syerdtsye, with the moon shining bright and full in the twilight. Winter was coming, and I could feel it in the air. I quickly stepped inside.

The door slammed shut behind me, sending a final gust of cold wind at my back. It was dead quite within the building, and, though at first I thought them to be my own, I heard footsteps behind me. I stopped. So did the footsteps. I whirled around.

"Shh!" Towa held a finger to her lips, silencing my scream.

"My God, Towa!" I gasped, "Next time, tell me you're coming!" She sighed and shook her head.

"You would have stopped me," she whispered. "Now, keep walking. I've got your back… Syerdtsye-sama." She smiled at me and turned into a small pink bird before flying up to the ceiling. She was practically invisible, which was good. I hoped desperately that Namida-san wouldn't see her; tiny bit of lighter dark that she was, so far into the shadows.

I walked on, my footsteps echoing loudly on the floor. The Black Wings was near the back of the museum, in a place that wasn't quite storage, but not quite a public area either. The statue was so large that it couldn't really be moved, but as it wasn't always open to the public, it was the only room the staff could put it in. (I read a lot, okay?) I'd managed to repair the roof before anyone saw it, but there were some things that I couldn't erase.

Like the blood. I'd tried to use magic to clean it, and I'm sure it was reported, but there had been no investigations (according to Satoshi) and nothing done. Maybe regular cleaning supplies couldn't do anything. Either way, my stomach did an uncomfortable little back flip when I saw the red-brown spots on the floor.

"You've come," Honoo no Namida's voice rang out through the silence. "That's good- oh my. Syerdtsye-sama?" I nodded.

"Yes Namida-san," I said, "I'm back. Did you really think a pathetic _mortal _like that girl could truly kill me?" I laughed, as though I couldn't believe anyone would think that, thinking how strange it was, acting as though I was my enemy.

"O-of course, Syerdtsye-sama. But… how did you know I came here?"

"I found Kyuuketsuki at the old church. He directed me here."

"Ah," she said, drawing one of her swords, "I do not recall informing anyone of where I was going." My heart sank into my shoes. I was dead. I hadn't even managed to last five minutes. A second later, I found myself hovering in the air, watching a jet of flame stab through the air where I had been only an instant ago. I sighed, but didn't show her who I truly was. That would mean instant death. She might think I was another artwork, and I wasn't about to correct her.

"Would you believe I got lucky then?" I had to keep her talking.

"No." Well, so much for keeping her talking… "But you are a talented work. I suppose you like to keep your tracking skills secret?" I blinked. "Oh, you'd never have found me otherwise. Kyuuketsuki is dead, after all. Try as I might, I was never able to revive him." I almost dropped out of the air. "What is your name?"

"Eizou," I said. It was the first thing that came to mind, and, as it meant 'reflection', I figured it was a decent excuse as to why I looked like Syerdtsye. "And my tracking is most basic, if you will pardon the insult."

"Hm…" she seemed to be pondering my credibility. "Well, 'Eizou', I don't seem to recall you ever existing. However, there is someone who can take care of that." She pointed behind me, and, like a fool, I turned.

And there, behind me, stood a being in white, holding a four foot long golden sword in his hands. Krad.

…

AN: Oh… yeah, sorry Lumi… I guess he's sort of mistaken you for Syerdtsye… I'm evil…

I know you probably all hate me for taking as long as I did to finish this, but PLEASE REVIEW! I'm so sorry it took as long as it did!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Disclaimer: I don't own DN Angel! (Sorry, I can't think of any way to say it that could invoke laughter…)

…

Lumi's POV

I stood where I was frozen with fear, a perfect copy of Syerdtsye with no way to prove otherwise. She was a shape shifter as well; I'd seen how perfectly she had copied Gray… Yet some bit of me still felt compelled to try and explain as his golden gaze hit me like ice. And so, as I saw Honoo no Namida disappear in a burst of flames out of the corner of my eye, I fought to find my voice.

"Krad…" I said finally, "Please, it's me, it's Lumi…" I knew he wouldn't believe me, I could feel the hatred he felt as though it was my own; but there's something about standing in the face of death and not _quite _being ready to die that makes you want to beg for your life. I can't explain exactly what I felt, but imagine being on the execution block as an innocent person. It's pretty close.

A split second later, I had a bow in my hands and a quiver of arrows at my back, and that cursed gold sword split the air where I had been a moment earlier. Why hadn't he destroyed that thing, anyway? _I should've known he was lying. That whole time! _But then again, I didn't really have time to think about it … I suppose it was an afterthought. Either way, I knew I was going to have to fight now, if only for defense… I rolled my eyes. I had a bow and a quiver of arrows. Not exactly defense material. _I could use a shield or something… Gray, you out there? Need some help stopping your psycho boyfriend from murdering me… _Okay, I admit, maybe the 'psycho boyfriend' bit might have been a sore spot for her… Still, if she had to do with what happened next, I think she overreacted. Mainly because… well, read for yourself.

"Krad, stop it!" Towa's voice rang out of the four second long silence, shattering it like a rock would a mirror. "She's telling the truth!"

And in that instant, I knew what was going to happen. _Deadly voices call the bird… _"Towa, stay there!" I screamed. "Don't-!" But I was too late when I called 'Towa'. I felt my head connect with the wall, heard myself cry out and saw myself shimmering and returning to my normal state. I'd been shoved against the wall by something, and had most likely split the back of my head wide open. Odd… I didn't seem to be losing any blood… or to be hurt at all. I tried to stand up, but I found that whatever invisible force had shoved me against the wall was keeping me pinned there.

And a drop of blood splashed against the floor. "She's telling the truth," Towa whispered, hanging off of the Toki no Kagi, "Believe her." A moment later, I watched as she slowly dissolved into a pink light. A few seconds later, there was a swish of wings and Krad was gone. I stood, in complete shock, and took several steps forward before I collapsed.

"Towa?" I whispered, shocked. "Towa. Towa!" I felt my eyes starting to water again, but I shook my tears away and leapt up, snapping open my wings. I had to find Krad. And possibly maim him. Choking back my tears, I took off.

This was the last time I was going to sit on the sidelines while someone died.

With Krad…

He had to leave. He hadn't meant to kill anyone, and yet… that damn girl had caught him off guard. How was he to know she hadn't been Syerdtsye? It hadn't been the first time he'd thought she was gone… and she'd come back. Ryoushi flew up to him, his tail wagging hopefully. Krad waved him off.

_What happened master? _The dog asked, now flying several feet away. He received no answer. _Master? _

"We're leaving Ryoushi." The dog blanched (as much as a dog could, that is).

_Why? _

"It doesn't matter _why," _Krad snapped. "But that damned sword… I have to destroy it." Ryoushi understood. His master had killed someone.

_Of course, master. _

"I want you to keep looking for that silver rose I was telling you about," Krad said. "I should be back soon." Ryoushi barked and veered to the left, away from his troubled master. He hoped that he would be alright, but at the moment… nothing could be taken for granted.

Lumi's POV

I wept as I flew. I couldn't hold in the tears, and I wept profusely. Towa was dead. Gray was dead. Both times, I could have saved them. Both times, I'd sat helplessly on the sidelines, or until it was too late. I was a coward. Or, I had been one. I would never sit on the sidelines again. I held my bow in one hand, examining it, while the quiver of arrows hung off my arm. The bow was black, and made of some strange material that wasn't wood, or plastic, or metal. It sat lightly in my hands, almost as if it were made of shadow. Shadow and… I glanced at one of the arrows. It too, was black, except for a silver arrowhead. But this silver… this was a familiar color. This was Gray's silver. Moonlight.

"You could've done something different," I said to the bow. "Why did you give me this?" The bow didn't answer, but I hadn't expected it to. It was a bow, maybe given to me by Gray, but a bow nonetheless. And bows didn't talk.

But the wind was a different matter. It whispered to me as I flew, whispered to me in a language that had been lost to the world. And I listened. I listened until I understood. (Or at least, until I thought I did.) _Mura, _I called out, _Wake up. I need to ask you about something._

_Yes mistress? What is it? _She sounded a bit tired, but alert.

_Towa no Shirube. I need you to have someone look for it. Towa's… _I couldn't even think it. Bu Murasaki, bless her tiny little rabbit heart, understood.

_I'll have Miss Emiko look for it, _she said.

_Thanks Mura. _Still sniffling, I flew on. I had to find Krad.

Satoshi's POV

(Just a note from me, Lumi. Yes, this is another extract from his journal that I… _borrowed _and edited.)

I had no idea of what was going in the museum. I was walking down a hallway as quietly as I could, but I was no thief. I suppose I sounded a bit more like a crowd of people than one. It was painful, hearing my footsteps, but I gritted my teeth and continued looking for Daisuke and Dark. I hoped they were here, and not somewhere else; I couldn't track and I had no way of summoning any artwork except the Rutile of Grief, which hung around my neck. _Grief. Just what we all need more of, _I thought sarcastically. I continued walking, seeing nothing; hearing nothing. All was peaceful and silent; shafts of moonlight pierced through the windows, reminding me painfully of the girl who'd died not even a year earlier. Gray had been like a sister to me; a sister who had saved me not only from myself, but from Krad as well. She'd been a shining light in the dark, illuminating what I'd thought had been lost forever.

I continued walking, hoping that I would hear something, or see something that would lead me to where the two were. But just then, a heavy wave of magic passed over me like a wall, and I felt myself collapse.

…

When I woke again, it felt like a pile of bricks had been dropped on my head. My vision was swimming with black stars and the shafts of moonlight were bending. I closed my eyes for several seconds and opened them again, hoping that it would help. It didn't.

_Get up._

When I first heard the voice, I thought I was going crazy. It certainly wasn't human; it sounded more like a cat than anything else. "Who's there?" I asked.

_Get up. _The voice sounded more insistent now, and I stood, leaning heavily against the wall. _Follow the moon. _

"What moon?" I asked, trying to find whoever was speaking. "Who are you?"

_Look around, Satoshi. Are you not a genius? _I sighed, wishing that the headache I had was gone. But the moonlight, the shafts of moonlight, had stopped moving. They had formed a figure of a girl.

A girl with floor length hair and combat boots. "Gray," I said. The figure shrugged, indifferent.

_Does it matter? Come on, we must find them. _She turned and drifted down the hallway. I stumbled after her, wondering how she'd gotten here. She wasn't a ghost; that was obvious. It was as though she was an extension of the moonlight that still pierced the blackness of night. She led me forward for several minutes, through a maze of hallways and down a flight of stairs. I stumbled after her, always several steps behind.

When we finally stopped, Gray stood in front of a door that was locked and barred and cloaked in darkness. _Satoshi, _she said. _I must leave now. Please, do not tell anyone that you saw me. It will only cause them more pain. _With that, she gently touched the locks on the door and disappeared. One lock clicked open. Then another, and a third. In a moment, the door stood open. I stared at it in shock, but walked through, hoping to see Daisuke and Dark right there. Instead, I was faced with three passageways, each blocked by a solid piece of oak. The door slammed shut behind me.

Had I been tricked? No… it wasn't that, I could sense it. There would be a way out of here. The Rutile around my neck glowed; the only source of light in the room. I walked up to the first door.

On the wood I could see writing.

…

AN: Well, it took me long enough, didn't it? I guess this is sort of my birthday present to myself… yup, my birthday's today! Do any of you still remember me? Anyone? If you do, please leave a review!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Disclaimer: If I owned DN Angel (which I so obviously do not) several things would be different. For example, no matter what it took, I would have the anime follow the manga exactly. This means that Keiji Saga and Argentine would both make their respective appearances, and Towa would be allowed to freak out about Argentine as she pleased.

This being said, it should be quite obvious that I do not, and never will, own DN Angel.

Lumi's POV

I didn't know where I was. I had never flown over this part of Azumano before, and now I had lost sight of Krad. My wings ached and my eyes stung from not only my tears, but the wind as well. I was ready to drop out of the sky. It was well past midnight and I wanted to sleep. And did I mention winter was coming? My skin felt like ice! I was glancing around hopelessly when I saw _it_.

There was a tiny, almost microscopic glimmer of gold in the air. Krad had been past here, and I followed without thought. Soon, the gold specks became a trail, and the trail became a ribbon that glittered and curved like the northern lights. I followed it easily, wondering why my eyes felt so strange. They had reverted back to their normal violet, I could tell without looking; but they still felt so odd. And the more I thought about it, the dimmer the trail of light became, until it disappeared completely. I stopped dead in midair and hovered, working my wings in a slow figure eight like a drunken hummingbird might. I looked around wildly, hoping that I would spot that glimmer again, but to no avail.

For the second time in five minutes, I was lost. Fortunately, fate seemed to favor me. Or at least, fate seemed to favor me when I was lost. Or maybe it didn't favor me and I just got lucky. Either way, after hovering for about another minute, I decided to go in the general direction I had been heading before.

I hadn't flown ten feet before something slammed me into a building so hard I saw stars. I felt a hand at my throat and tried to struggle but couldn't move. I was actually paralyzed with fear. _Mura… _

_Instinct mistress, _she said. _Think about it. _There wasn't time to think. But I forced myself to move; to reach up and grab my attacker's shoulder and try to force them away from me. I felt my hand begin to warm up and I realized what Mura had been trying to tell me. The computer mouse I had melted at Daisuke's house, and now this. I was beginning to gain control of fire. Fire, which had almost killed me; which had burned my wings from my back, that was Honoo no Namida's power. Fire, which terrified me beyond belief.

My hand ignited and the figure leapt back from me. I did not see the flash of white I expected, I did not hear Krad's shout, but rather, I saw a tiny flicker of green and heard a gentle swish of silver wings. I saw chocolate brown skin and hair only a bit lighter: Syerdtsye. I screamed and darted off.

My wings felt clumsy and heavy and awkward, as though they were not beating in unison. But I was not being followed, I felt that. She did not dare follow fire. Did she fear it? Had I truly been so lucky? Or was there something else? I had the terrible feeling that it might be something else, some horrible other thing.

The more I thought about it, the more I began to realize what had happened to me. There was something sticking out of my left side. Something long, and sharp, and undoubtedly poisonous. Syerdtsye hadn't bothered following me because I would be dead in only a few minutes. I pulled the object out of my side with a gasp of pain, and examined it. I wanted to know what caused my death.

Sitting in my palm was a dull-tipped, two foot long piece of metal that looked like a curved knitting needle. I remember wondering if Syerdtsye knitted before it all went black.

Satoshi's POV

I stared at the writing on the door for several moments, wondering why on earth I'd never seen this room before. It was large and empty, but for the three solid doors I had mentioned before, and, but for the glow of the Rutile of Grief, completely pitch black. The walls were made of cool stone that seemed to shimmer in the glow of the Rutile, and when I brushed against them, I realized that they were damp with water.

I turned my attention to the writing. _Say my name and I disappear. _It was etched deep into the wood in elegant script, almost like calligraphy. Unfortunately, at the time I had no idea what it was. I walked over to the next door. _Two in a corner, one in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter. What am I? _I blinked. Were these riddles? Had whatever artwork that trapped Daisuke and Dark in here seriously thought that whoever found them wouldn't be able to solve them?

_You cannot outrun me. You cannot hide from me nor can you touch me. I am a part of darkness, but my existence is in vain without the light. What am I? _Apparently, they had a good idea as to what would stump somebody. I held the Rutile as high above my head as I could, in hope that it would cast more light into the room. The first thing that came to mind with the last riddle was Dark. The second riddle had made me think of where he and Daisuke might be, but there was no way of finding them locked in this room. And the first had made me think of the strange apparition I'd just seen. I was beginning to question my sanity. I decided to turn my attention to the first riddle, for no reason but that it was the shortest.

"Say my name and I disappear," I said to myself. My words were quickly eaten up by the walls of the room, and silence pressed against my ears again. Wait… could it really be so simple? "Silence," I said.

The door shuddered for several moments, then slowly seemed to vanish into the ground. Behind it was a small pedestal, and on that pedestal sat… I blinked. That certainly couldn't be all that was there!

Because on the pedestal sat nothing but a paintbrush and a jar of ink.

I stared at the brush and ink before carefully stepping into the small chamber and removing them from the short pedestal on which they sat. When I was back in the main room, the door reappeared. It was now blank. I turned to the next riddle. _Two in a corner, one in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter. _My mind went completely blank. The Rutile still glowed faintly, and there was a steady, constant drip of water coming from one of the corners of the room. I wondered how long I had been in here, where Lumi was, and if the sun had risen yet. I wished I had a watch with me, but there was nothing but a steady drip of water and the Rutile. I gazed at the door, then down at the brush and ink. Then I looked at the door again.

"Okay," I said to myself for no reason other than to break the terrible silence that surrounded me, "So whatever this thing is, there are two in a corner." I glanced over to my right, as though maybe I would see the answer sitting there calmly; gazing at me with its eyes, if it had any. "One in a room, zero in a house, but one in a shelter." I stared at the writing for the longest time, and then, just when I was about to give up, I gazed at the brush and ink. They had to be clues for this riddle. _So why would I need a brush? Am I supposed to paint? Or… _The answer came to me in a flash. "Two in 'corner', one in 'room' none in 'house' but one in 'shelter'." It was an 'R'. I uncapped the inkwell and quickly dipped the brush into it, carefully painting a large (if not somewhat shaky, I was nervous), 'R' onto the wooden door. I knew in an instant I had done the right thing, because the door faded. But unfortunately, there was another verse written on a door that stood behind it.

_Getting out of here will cost nothing  
Relinquish one breath from your lips  
Always confusing one for another  
Yet always remaining the same._

"You had to do it, didn't you Gray?" I asked the door, and it melted at the name. "First letter of each line, far too obvious." I'd seen it at once, but I wasn't sure why it was there. Still, I hoped maybe the extra barrier would mean I was on the right track…

"Mmf?" I never thought I'd be happy to see Dark, but here he was, tied up and gagged, with a flickering candle in the middle of the room, casting long, fluctuating shadows on the glistening stone walls. I sighed and untied his gag, and almost instantly he was talking. "You could've come faster," he commented, "For a police commander you're not all that observant, you know? I mean, trying to catch _me _is one thing, but I'd think you'd be able to find a locked door pretty quickly." He stretched his jaw as I worked at untying his hands, and by the time the ropes (practically burning my hands with the magic channeled into them) fell away, he was grinning and looked like his old self.

"Daisuke's not here?" I asked, not seeing him but wanting to be sure. Dark shook his head as he untied his ankles, then stood up and stretched. I picked up the candle and walked out. "Then you're going to have to help me figure this out." As soon as Dark had cleared the entrance to the second corridor, the door sealed itself behind him. If this surprised the thief, he didn't give me any reason to think it had.

"Figure what out Creepy?" He asked, causing me to remember why I normally _wasn't _happy to see him.

"This," I said, gesturing with the candle towards the third (and, I hoped, final) door. Dark stared at the words for about three seconds. _You cannot outrun me. You cannot hide from me nor can you touch me. I am a part of darkness, but my existence is in vain without the light. What am I? _I couldn't help but wonder if he even cared.

"Sounds like me," he said at last. "Dark." The door didn't move. Despite wanting to sigh from the sheer volume of his ego, I had to admit Dark had a point, and that that was exactly what I had thought when I'd first seen the riddle. I wondered briefly if the candle could be another clue, like the ink and brush had been, when the Rutile stopped glowing. Dark and I were instantly cast into a flickering light that came from the candle, which was mysteriously bright. Our shadows flickered and jumped like paper in the wind.

Lumi's POV

_I was standing on nothing. Everything around me was white, whiter than the purest white I had ever seen, whiter than Krad's wings, or the snow, or cotton. The air around me was white, like I was in a thick fog, and I wondered briefly where I was. It looked like the room from my other vision, if that could have been called a room, but I knew it wasn't, and if it was, Gray wasn't there. Because Gray was dead, and the dead are dead. I touched my hand to my side, and felt sticky, half clotted blood and a deep wound. I wondered if this was what came after death, or just… something else. I couldn't decide what, but… something else, yes. It must have been. _

_I was still wondering where I was when it started raining feathers. Some of them were black, others red. They all had writing on them, red on the black feathers, black on the red. As if they were something from _Alice in Wonderland, _they read 'Read Me'. I stretched out a hand to catch one of the black feathers, but it slipped through my hand like a shadow. I tried to grab one of the red ones, to the same result. I stooped to pick one up, but they seemed stuck to whatever the floor was there. I could not pick them up, or hold them._

'_Read Me,' they read tauntingly. 'Read Me, Read Me.' A breeze picked up stirring my auburn hair (odd, when had the color changed?), but the feathers did not stir, and then the answer came to me. I was supposed to see them from above, from where they were coming from. If there was a ground here, there certainly must be a sky. I spread my wings and, with a bit more effort than normal because of the pain in my side, took off. I think I only flew about a hundred feet up before the pain forced me to glide, but even at that height the message was legible._

_One word. _'Godspeed.'

_Then there was the sound of a thousand daggers unsheathing, a horrible, awful 'fsssh' of metal on metal, and then–_

– I sat up gasping for breath, freezing cold, in some sort of cave. A small, furry mound of white fur and gold feathers yawned next to me, and I absentmindedly stroked Ryoushi's head for a moment before I realized who he was. "Ryoushi?" I asked, stunned. He sneezed, and I looked around me. The walls of the cave were covered in glittering clear quartz, and light that wasn't there reflected off the crystals. The cavern itself must have been at least a mile high, and a quarter of an acre around. It was like sitting inside of a chandelier. "How did I get here?" I asked, touching my side. It was healed, as though the incident with Syerdtsye had never happened. A chill ran through my spine.

Ryoushi stuck his nose against my hand and whimpered. I looked where he was looking, and my heart stopped, then jumped to my throat, then started beating at double time. "Mata meguru," I whispered. "History's repeating. No…" It didn't take me a second to recognize who else was in this cavern with me, and realize what had happened. Krad had found me. He had healed me.

And as Ryoushi walked over and nudged his master, I stumbled after him. We were _not _losing Krad again. He was our last tie to Gray. That was all that was going through my mind then. _He knows something I don't. He knows where Gray is. _I didn't care about Krad. I hate myself for saying that, but I didn't. Gray still haunted me, and she would haunt me until either I brought her back, or died trying.

So I set to work trying to heal the psychotic half of the Black Wings. He had answers, and right now, answers were all I needed.

_Godspeed. _

…

AN: Oh Lumi… I'm actually feeling kind of guilty about what I'm doing to her. I'm trying to make her seem a little more… real, I guess, and I think I'm trying to bring out the trauma she's still feeling about Gray. Anyway, I know this chapter is really overdue, and I hope it was at least passable as a chapter… Anyway, please review, and forgive me for the long wait…

Oh, and what do you think the answer is for the last riddle? Don't look it up, I'm curious what you think. Please forgive me for the long author's note! Have a great Thanksgiving!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Disclaimer: DN Angel… Owned, unfortunately, by Notme.

**…**

Krad's POV

_I was sitting on the edge of a cliff, the sea thousands of feet below me. My eyes were closed against the setting sun, but the light pierced through my eyelids, staining it the color of blood. I heard a ship's bell from below. It must have been a subconscious signal, because I felt my wings spreading, and felt myself jump…_

_I was walking through a corridor with mirrored walls. Ryoushi paced at my side, and Fenga (I was sure it was her) sat on a throne at the end of my path. But the further I walked, the more Fenga began to change, until she was a drifting shadow sitting just above the throne. The shadow opened its mouth to speak –_

_I found myself again whisked away. Gray sat next to me, her wings folded at her back. We were at the cliff above the sea again. "How can I save you?" Gray was asking me. "How can you save me?" Then she stood up, as though she was about to jump. I leapt up and grabbed her wrist, but my hand passed through her like she was smoke. Gray jumped, and spread her wings, and flew off. I made as if to follow her, but Ryoushi bit my hand. I shook him off, and he opened his mouth and spoke. _"Krad!"

"Krad, wake up!" The voice wasn't Ryoushi's. It was Candra's. Ryoushi hadn't bitten me, but her fingernails were digging into my palm. I opened my eyes. "Thank God," she said. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed. I sighed and pushed her off of me.

"Ryoushi, watch her," I ordered. I must go find Satoshi-sama." The dog barked, and I walked out of the crystal cavern. I was thousands of miles from Azumano, but magic would aid my flight. The cave had certain healing properties, and I had discovered it many years ago. I rarely went there, but seeing as how Candra had been almost dead and I needed her to find Gray, it had seemed like the only option at the time.

_Satoshi-sama,_ I thought, _where are you? _

_Krad! _He sounded relieved, which was strange. _How good are you with riddles? _Riddles? What on earth was my tamer talking about?

_Where are you? _I asked, ignoring the question. The ground was a blur beneath me.

_We're in the museum still, _Satoshi replied. _We need to find the answer to a riddle._

_We? _I almost didn't want to know.

_I'm stuck with Dark._ I sighed. Of all the stupid things my tamer had done, this one had to place second (first place, if you must know, still goes to his brilliant cross-dressing scheme). _We're… well, I don't know where we are exactly… if I had Dark send you a signal, could you follow it?_

_Yes, _I said. Did he think his ancestors had called me a hunter for nothing? I practically existed to figure out where Dark was –and kill him, although at the moment I didn't think much about that. A moment later, I had found the signal Dark sent me and was following it.

It took me five minutes to get to the museum, and then another two to find the hidden door. The three locks on its face puzzled me. They were padlocks, but there were no keyholes on them anywhere. They were, to me, completely solid. I tugged on one, hoping it would open, but to no avail. I let it fall back to the door, and it 'clunked' heavily against the wood frame. _Satoshi-sama, how am I to get in?_

_No clue, _he replied. _Here, answer this: __You cannot outrun me. You cannot hide from me nor can you touch me. I am a part of darkness, but my existence is in vain without the light. What am I? _So that was the riddle he couldn't solve.

I thought for a moment. _Have you tried dark?_

_Yes._

_Shadow? _There was a long pause.

_No, _Satoshi replied, _That's it! _I sighed.

_I'm coming in, _I said, conjuring a sphere of white-hot magic around my hand. Wood was flammable, the last time I had checked. But before I could destroy the door, I hear something.

"_Krad,_" a hoarse voice whispered, "_I must speak to you._" I whirled around, startled. That voice…

"Gray?" The figure, silvery like mist with floor length hair and combat boots, sighed.

"_Baka,_" it snapped, "_you don't recognize me?_" It clicked then. This woman was blind.

"Hateshiganai?" I was amazed, to say the least. The figure nodded.

"_I figured the boots must be comfortable,_" she explained. "_They're a bit clunky though._" She laughed to herself. "_But in all seriousness, Krad, I have come here with something to tell you. You asked me if I could tell you anything more about your quest, and I have just Seen something that will interest you._"The misty figure paused. "_This is unlike anything I have ever Seen before. I have Seen writing, of course, but mostly on signs. This is… different._"

"Just tell me!" I snapped. Hateshiganai arched her eyebrows, but continued to speak.

"_This was golden script on white air. It was like a poem… or a prophecy, if you believe in those._" She stopped again, and took a breath. Then she spoke, and I felt my breath stop.

"_Calling all angels_

_calling all rebels,_

_the black winged seraph _

_and the white winged devil._

_Call upon magic_

_and call upon death_

_the mystical beauty_

_of a single, last breath._

_And call on old friends,_

_and call on old foes_

_and when River doth rise_

_call on the dark crow._

_Rid yourself of all sins_

_release all old strife_

_oh angel of death,_

_now searching for life_

_the one you seek_

_is so far yet so near_

_but what you wish for her_

_is the one thing that she fears…_

_A storm winter night,_

_near the end of a fight_

_against she who was thought_

_to be dead…_

_Yet for her whom you seek_

_your thoughts remain bleak_

_and the blood flows _

_amongst tears that are shed._

_And the Violet will rise_

_and the black wolf's cries_

_will slowly give way_

_to mist…_"

Hateshiganai's form stopped then. "_Something is coming. I must leave you now._" And like that, she was gone. I stared at the spot she had been standing at for a long time, wondering how she had been there, and where she had gone. Probably back to her flowers, if she was anything like I imagined her to be.

I heard footsteps behind me; heavy footsteps, ones that I had heard many times in Satoshi-sama's head. I turned quickly. "Who the hell are you?" It was police inspector… Sahara or something like that. Sayhara? Saehara, that was it. "What are you doing here?" I was cornered. There was really only one thing I could do.

_Satoshi-sama, don't come out. _With that, I snapped my wings open and jumped; flying over their heads and away from them.

"Hey!" The man yelled from behind me, "Stop!" Like I had any intention of doing _that. _These people were idiots. I turned right at the first corridor I came to, and found myself in a large gallery. There were many artworks there I had seen before, and a few I hadn't. I didn't dwell on it though –I had to hide from those infernal police before my picture was on every newspaper in Japan. I swooped upwards into the rafters; into the shadows. I waited.

I heard them coming before I saw them. Their footsteps were heavy and quick; there were at least ten of them. They ran through the archway, carrying flashlights, and I was thinking, _this is the most cliché thing I have ever seen. _But then one of their flashlights landed on something that made me gasp.

Sitting on a pedestal in a glass case stood a tiny rosebush. A silver rosebush.

"_A silver rose awaits you," _Hateshiganai had said.

I had found it. "Gray!"

**…**

AN: This is so late I don't even have words to apologize. However, I'll try anyway. I'm so, so sorry. I'd also like to apologize for this being mainly a filler chapter... but it had to happen sometime. :) Anyway, reviews would be amazing, so please click that blue button below! More to follow (hopefully) soon!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

AN: Double digits! …For a while there, I didn't think I'd make it. High school's been crazy, and any down time I've had I just use to try and unwind. If you're still sticking with me, thank you!

Disclaimer: I have researched many things in high school; however, I do not yet know how to buy ownership rights to DN Angel.

**…**

The guards shone their flashlights around for several minutes, but, being the idiots they were, they only directed the beams of light at the floor and the walls. After about ten minutes of futile searching in this way, I heard someone whisper that they should 'probably get out of here'. I saw one of the flashlight beams move briefly over the statue of the roses, and then heard a murmur of assent. The men departed, leaving me sitting in the museum's rafters.

I swooped down on silent wings, and quietly walked up to the statue. It seemed to capture the moonlight that touched it, and the roses looked as though they were glowing with silver light. If this wasn't the Silver Rose Hateshiganai had told me about, I would never find it.

"Gray," I whispered, "is that you?" The statue did nothing, of course. Even if Gray was actually in the artwork, she'd be in a state completely unfit to talk to anyone. An arrow through the heart could reduce most artworks to a state where they could barely hold onto their original forms: Gray must have taken this work as her own after it was made. I had to wonder who had made it, since Satoshi didn't have the skill of creating original artworks. At least, he hadn't the last time I had seen him.

The Silver Rose was encased in glass, which was almost certainly alarmed. I would have to move fast if I wanted to rescue Gray and get out without being caught. My heart (which was still a bit of a curiosity to me) was pounding in my chest, and I felt… strangely exhilarated. I could understand, suddenly, why Dark loved thieving so much.

I waited about two minutes, hoping the guards would be a good distance away from me and the rest of the gallery, before acting. Those two minutes, standing alone in the huge, open room, while I could sense the sun beginning its upward ascent, felt like eternity. '_Eternity.' _The one word made me think of the girl- no, the woman, who was trapped in the artwork before me.

The first thing I did (and the most logical, I thought), was check around the glass casing, hoping to find any alarms or traps –I seemed to recall Satoshi thinking about how this was a work Dark would probably target soon, though when or how I had heard it seemed a bit beyond me. I found two wires, but this led me to my next problem –I had no idea how to deactivate the alarms.

I thought about using magic, but I was afraid anything beyond creating a few minor sparks might disrupt Gray's hold on the artwork. Since it wasn't created for her, no matter how much it resembled the rose on her grave, she would be constantly fighting against the being who truly could call it home. Now that I had found her, I was terrified to do anything that could even possibly harm her.

Finally, I steeled my resolve and drew back a white-gloved fist. "Alright Gray," I whispered, "I'll have you back to normal in no time." Not believing a word I said, I shattered the glass.

Satoshi's POV

Daisuke was gone. After the final door had opened (Krad's answer had been correct, the moment a shadow fell across the door it dissolved), Dark and I had been greeted with an empty room, with hardly enough height for Dark to stand. It was, at its longest side (the right) five feet across the floor, and tapered off like a pyramid, but sideways, as the ceiling stayed at the same height. It was empty; as barren as the desert.

"What is this place?" Dark asked quietly. I got the sense that he was talking to himself.

"The more important question is: Where's Daisuke?" I replied a moment later. We had the candle to investigate with, and the Rutile had begun glowing again. Together, these produced about as much light as a flashlight. One with dying batteries.

"I don't like it," Dark continued, ignoring me, "it's not right. It's not… safe." But he continued scanning the walls, looking carefully over each brick as though it might contain all of life's secrets. I sighed.

"Dark!" My shout snapped him to his senses, and he jumped. "We have to find Daisuke." His eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Yeah," he agreed readily, "yeah, right. Daisuke." He didn't sound very convinced though. We needed to get out of here. This was a place filled with darkness, and more than that. It seemed to be filled with everything that could distract a person. It seemed to want to hold us where we were and refuse to let us go. It terrified me.

"Come on," I said, grabbing his arm, "let's go. He's obviously not here."

"Wait," Dark replied, "even if Dai's not here, there's… there's something. I don't like it, and yet it feels like it's important. Like we'll need it." I sighed, but released him. Now he moved with a vague sense of purpose, running a hand over the far wall, examining the stones and looking at them with even more uncertainty than I felt.

"Dark, what are you looking for?" He seemed to have not heard me, and then, just when I was about to drag him away from the wall and out of the room, his hand went straight through one of the bricks.

"This," he said grimly, "now, give me just a minute." He began pulling more stones away from the hole he had found, and eventually I saw what he was thinking.

Because behind the wall lay something I had hoped to never see.

"The Crystal of the Yin and Yang," Dark muttered. "Emiko's going to _flip _when I show her this." Dark was staring at a huge piece of crystal, about the size and shape of a baseball, completely clear except for a large black spot in the center. I couldn't believe it myself. More Hikari works had been turning up since Gray and Lumi had come to our world than ever before, and I thought again of the Dragon Vase. I suppose you have forgotten about that, but no matter. Maybe the legend it held was really being fulfilled, with Gray at its center.

"Dark, don't touch it," I said. But the thief extraordinaire was already one step ahead of me, using magic to levitate the work towards him. This artwork had several interesting aspects –it did not have a human form, and it could tell secrets, but its most disturbing property was its ability to change a being's personality as soon as they touched it.

"_Now,_" he said with a smirk, "we can leave, Creepy." I mentally cursed him, but was amazed that he'd been able to find such a strange artwork, and buried in a museum wall, no less! We might even be able to use it to our advantage.

But as I turned back toward the door, I saw something strange. An odd blue haze hung in the doorframe, turning the entire thing into a sort of movie screen. As I looked into it, I began to see a flickering light, like fire shining off crystal. Then I realized that was what I was seeing. A dog walked in front of the blue light, and Dark and I both recognized it instantly.

"Ryoushi," Dark said. "Satoshi, it's a portal." Without hesitation, and before I could fully register exactly what he had said, he shoved me through.

I felt as though I was falling for a lot longer than someone who was shoved through a doorframe should, and slower too. But when I finally hit the unforgiving floor of wherever I now was, I thought for sure that I'd dislocated my knee. Dark stepped through the blue light a moment later, the priceless artwork still hovering in front of him. I stood up slowly, looking around me, almost unable to believe what I was seeing. We were in a huge cavern, easily a mile high, and the walls… the walls were covered in beautiful clear crystal that seemed to flicker with some inner light, like flame.

"Dark!" The sudden exclamation seemed to shatter the peaceful silence I had almost begun to take for granted. I turned, and saw an emaciated figure with dull purple and black wings grinning at us. Her eyes, despite the shape her body was in, glittered with excitement.

"Lumi?" Dark very obviously couldn't believe what he saw. "My God Lumi, what _happened _to you?" The girl carelessly waved a hand in the air, and I noticed her arms were so thin you could see the bones in them.

"I'll be fine in a few hours," she said, "it was really the portals that did this, I'm getting much better at using magic… don't you think?" Then, glancing around, she asked, "Where's Krad?" Very sensibly, she conjured a set of three chairs, and sat down on the nearest one. Mura hopped onto her shoulder, and Fenga and Ryoushi curled up by her feet.

"Kyuu?" Even Wiz was there, which caught Dark off guard.

"How'd you manage to get Wiz here?" He asked in surprise.

"Same way I got you and Satoshi here, and Mura and Fenga," Lumi replied. "I used a portal." There was a long moment of silence, and she stroked Mura's head softly. "Now I have to know, because I can't See where he is… where's Krad?" She looked directly at me.

"I don't know," I said. "I –He was at the museum, and he helped Dark and I get through one of the doors that were there –"

"We'll tell you about that later," Dark cut in.

"– and after that, I didn't hear anything from him," I finished, ignoring Dark. Lumi, already seemingly regaining strength, nodded thoughtfully.

"You didn't find Daisuke though," she murmured, "and I know why." Wiz hopped over to Ryoushi, 'kyuued' at him, and then jumped onto Fenga's back. The ensuing chase between rabbit-thing and dog was rather hilarious, and we all paused to watch.

Finally, Wiz jumped onto Dark's head, and Ryoushi growled at him for a long moment before settling down again at his spot by Lumi's chair. We all turned our attention back to the thin, but no longer emaciated, Shining Violet. Her wings had already begun to shine again.

Lumi paused for a moment, almost as though she was hesitant to continue; then she went on. "Daisuke," she said slowly, "is Honoo no Namida's most prized possession right now. She wouldn't just leave him in hidden room, guarded only by riddles. No. She would keep him nearby, hidden. Right under our noses, if she could, just to make it more painful for us." She sighed, whispered something to Mura, and stood up. Her chair dissolved into nothingness.

"But why do you need to know where Krad is?" Dark asked. He sounded slightly offended. Lumi closed her eyes and cradled Mura against her before answering.

"Krad is a hunter; a tracker. He is especially adept at tracking you, Dark, and members of the Niwa family." In a moment, I saw where she was going with this. "I still am learning how to track, and in the state I'm in, if I push myself any more I'll die." Mura scrambled out of her grip and she was left hugging herself, her hands cupping her elbows, her wings folded loosely at her back. She went on.

"If anyone can figure out where Daisuke is, it's Krad." There was a moment of silence. Then, with a sudden chill, I realized where he was.

"Lumi," I said quietly, "Krad's not coming back." The girl looked at me, and I saw –no, I _felt _her eyes pierce my soul. Then she gasped.

"He found her," she whispered. "Satoshi, ask him to find Daisuke _now._ Order him, if you have to, _just do it_." Her eyes had taken on an intensity I had never seen before, and never saw again.

I opened my mouth to question her, but Dark spoke. "She's right. I don't like it, but we're not going to get any further in this without finding Dai, and we can't do that without Krad." I looked at Dark for a moment, almost unable to believe my ears, and then I felt something nudge my leg. It was Ryoushi, and for the first time, I heard his voice clearly.

'_Find him,' _he seemed to say, '_and this will all end.'_

For some strange reason, the familiar's words filled me with a sense of peace. I closed my eyes, and let myself relax; let my mind call out for the being I had once called a curse.

**…**

AN: Well… you know what; I'm not going to say a thing about this chapter. I can't decide whether I like it or not. Let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Disclaimer: Shall I compare thee to the owner of DN Angel?

… No, because I do not own DN Angel.

…

It took me longer than I had anticipated to find Krad. He was still quite near Azumano, but he was flying quickly and I got the sense that he was trying to block me; to evade us all. _Krad! _

There was no answer, but I could tell I was in his mind. There was this sudden sort of _connection_ that really can't be explained without feeling it. If I was forced to try, I would say it was like putting a puzzle piece into your brain, with that odd little 'click' you sometimes feel in the back of your head when you plug earbuds into a music player that had been turned on beforehand. But it was much stronger. I knew Krad was there, and I knew that he knew I was there, but he ignored me. I called again. _Krad! _I felt like I was falling to pieces. When had calling Krad begun to _hurt _me like this?

"S-satoshi," I heard Lumi whispering, "your… your eye…" I ignored her. I had to talk to Krad. Ryoushi said this all would end. I _wanted _it to end. I wanted things to go back to normal again. Beautiful normality; the beauty of the plain blue sky _not _filled with artworks and crazy girls with wings. To be free of Krad and the curse of the Hikari, to maybe go on a date with Risa without Krad whispering dating advice in my ear the whole time. That would be nice. _KRAD! Please Krad…_

_Well, the 'please' makes it so much better, Satoshi-sama. _Krad's sarcastic remark sounded oddly distracted.

_You found her, didn't you, _I asked quietly. There was silence. _Krad, you have to come back here._

_Where else would I go, Satoshi-sama? _Krad's question didn't seem to hold the truth. He sounded distracted, forlorn, caught.

_Krad, I order you to come back here! _I wondered what Lumi had said about my eye. It felt strange, but I had no idea what could have happened to it. My head ached, as though my brain had sent hundreds of tiny spikes into my skull. I felt something in my mind snap again, and I almost forgot where I was. Was Krad trying to fight me? _Krad, come here now!_

_Satoshi, you don't understand. _I closed my eyes. Everything became black, and the pain in my head dulled slightly.

_What don't I understand?_

_That artwork wasn't made for her, she's fighting to stay alive._

_What artwork?_

_The Silver Rose. You made it, did you not?_

_Gray's in The Silver Rose? _I knew she had given it life, but putting _herself _in the artwork was almost unthinkable to me.

_Gray can't get out, because the being trapped within it is trying to get rid of her. She can't speak and I can barely sense her._

_So where do you want to go?_

_Where you are. There is a strong magical presence in that cave. It could help her. _I wondered briefly how he knew where I was, but dismissed it. We were still connected, after all.

_You sound ill._

_I am. Go away Satoshi-sama, I will be there shortly. _With those words, he broke the connection between us. I hadn't seen my curse in over six months, yet here he was, flying toward us as we sat here, helpless. He'd found Gray.

But he was ill? What did he mean by that? "Lumi," I said, "what's wrong with my eye?" I kept my eyes shut, but could almost see the look on her face as she spoke.

"The right one… it's red." I opened my eyes. Carefully. I felt like my lungs had just been crushed.

"What do you…?" I stopped, wondering if I really wanted to know. Deciding I did, I finished the question. "What do you mean?" She closed her eyes, and an imaged passed from her mind to mine. The white of my right eye was the color of blood. I sighed, both in frustration and relief. It was only a burst blood vessel –or a few. It would be gone in a several days. Though it looked awful, there would be no lasting damage.

Lumi walked up to me carefully; cautiously. She acted as though one of us might break. Very slowly, she raised her left arm, and gently brushed the fingers of her left hand near my eye. Several feathers fell off of her wings as a burst of navy blue obscured half of my vision. She gazed at me solemnly –no, solemnity wasn't what filled her gaze. Her eyes glittered with sadness.

"That really was it," she whispered. "I'm so tired… Krad will be here soon." She sat down slowly on the floor, and closed her eyes. Then she lowered herself onto her back. She crossed her stick-thin arms over her chest, and soon was completely dead to the world. Dark knelt next to her and gently brushed her hair out of her eyes. He sighed.

"Why she ever did that…" he muttered. "She just about killed herself." For a moment I wondered what he'd done with the Crystal, but I saw it sitting on a crystal outcropping several feet away. "But she's right, Krad's just about here. I can even feel him now." Wiz hopped up to him and 'kyuued' quietly. Dark absentmindedly stroked his fur.

"Why can't I?" I asked. I couldn't feel Krad; I had no way of telling whether he was nearby or not. It had hurt awfully to try to just talk to him, and that was a feat I had been able to accomplish only yesterday. But he had said he was ill… with what? How could he be ill, when he still sounded so strong?

I'd contacted Krad for answers, but now I felt like I had more questions than I had begun with.

Lumi's POV

Gray was sitting at a kitchen table. Her hair was silver, long, and hung around her like a curtain. Her eyes were glowing with so many colors they looked white. She obviously didn't know that I was there; her eyes stared straight ahead, completely blank as she sat ramrod straight in front of the table. Her hands were folded in front of her, and I saw that there were hundreds of tiny white scars forming an elaborate, spider-web-like design on her skin.

"Lumi." Her voice was harsh, but I could tell she was pleading. She did not look at me, and her lips barely moved as she continued. "Lumi, I will be back soon, I think. But I do not know who I am any longer. I… there is something else here with me. It is stealing me, piece by piece and I can hardly remember…" She stopped, shuddered, and continued. Her eyes never moved; she never blinked. "I can't remember how to play the guitar Lumi. I'm forgetting the old world." I stared at her in disbelief. This couldn't be Gray. This half-hypnotized victim of who-knows-what just _couldn't _be Gray!

"Gray…" I began, but she cut me off.

"Did you edit the document?" Her hands tensed slightly, and the scars stood out more against her skin.

"Gray," I replied, "I read it, but there's nothing to edit; nothing to change." I raised my hands, hoping she could see how hopeless it was.

"The letters," Gray replied. "One at a time. Watch them." Then she blinked. Her eyes stopped glowing. Slowly, the white color drained from them and a strange blue took its place. Gray's long silver hair shortened, and she stood suddenly.

"I hate these clothes," she snapped impatiently. "You'd think that she could wear something just a _bit _more colorful, but _noooo… _Black on black on black on black, that's all there is!" She stomped her foot and twirled angrily back to the chair. "By the way, I'm Sasha. _Gray, _whatever kind of name that is, is sorta stuck with me for now, but I _think _she'll be leaving soon. Good riddance, that's all I can say." She pulled her hair over one shoulder and began braiding it.

"You… your hair," I whispered in shock. Whenever Sasha's hair hit her hands, blood sprung from her skin like it had been summoned. _That _was why Gray had those strange scars. Or were those Sasha's? "Do you and Gray share a body?"

Sasha pulled a face. "Eww, no! Why would I ever want to let a Goth punk like _that _be my host?" She rolled her eyes. "I'm only taking this form because we're stuck together. Once she's gone, I'll be able to be myself." She sighed, tied off the braid in her hair, and began to wipe the blood off of her hands with a bright white cloth she seemed to have conjured up from midair. It was a rather messy process, and very odd to watch.

"Um," I murmured, "why aren't you just _letting _Gray go? Who are you, for that matter?" Sasha rolled her eyes and spoke again. Her voice reminded me of a stereotypical 'Valley Girl', and I wondered how Gray had kept her sanity, being trapped with such a being.

"I've already told you, I'm Sasha! I keep hearing people use the title 'Silver Rose' when they're around me though, so I guess that could be it…" she paused, pursed her lips, and turned her eyes up toward the ceiling. "And as to why I'm not letting her go, well…" She grinned an evil, crocodilian grin. "I'm not on your side."

"What do you mean, not on our side?" I asked. "Satoshi made the Silver Rose!" Sasha tensed when I mentioned Satoshi's name. Her left hand clenched the bloody rag until it began dripping onto the floor, which I only now realized was white. So were the walls. So was the air around me, like I was in a thick fog.

Sasha lunged at me, and as her hair cut through the white air I heard a sound like a thousand daggers unsheathing, a horrible, awful 'fsssh' of metal on metal, and then–

Krad's POV

When I arrived at the old cave, Lumi was passed out on the floor, Satoshi was sitting against a wall apparently half-dead, and Dark was staring at an artwork that he'd undoubtedly stolen. All was normal. Or rather, things were as normal as they ever got here now. But now the Silver Rose, Gray, was resting in my arms, and I knew things would manage to work out. Once Gray was back in this world; once her feathers again danced in the wind, everything would work out. We could be together, and everything would be alright.

But Satoshi's eyes were bloodshot and ragged-looking, and I knew it hurt him to talk to me. I had told him I was ill, but it wasn't quite that simple. The bonds between the two of us were slowly fading. If Satoshi did not release me soon, I would vanish and truly be unable to return. But I knew I could not be released from the lines of the Hikari family without a blessing, which I knew Satoshi still could not give.

"Satoshi-sama," I said quietly, stepping into sight. Ryoushi immediately flew toward me, happily barking. Dark jumped out of his stupor, but Lumidid not even twitch. I wondered if she could have died while I flew over, and decided that it would be surprising, but not improbable. However, just as I was about to ask about her, she twitched. A shuddering breath escaped her lungs, and her eyes flickered open. She sat up abruptly. Instantly, Satoshi and Dark turned, and Mura was sitting on her head.

"Krad," she gasped, "Find Daisuke." Her eyes were wide, and she seemed to be unable to catch her breath. "Hurry… Syerdtsye's back and Sasha's coming…" Then her eyes fell on the artwork I held in my arms, and a look of horror slid across her features. "Sasha's here," she corrected breathlessly. "Krad, I know that's Gray but if we let her out we're dooming us all right now. We have to get rid of Syerdtsye first." I stared at her coldly.

"What do you mean?" I snapped, pushing Ryoushi away with a gentle shove. "Gray is here now, and she is the only being who stop…" I trailed off, Lumi's words finally sinking in. "Syerdtsye is back?" The girl nodded helplessly.

"I don't know how, but she is," she whispered quickly. "She's the one who had wounded me when you brought me here." I blinked, remembering the gory, bloody wound the girl had had in her side when I had brought her here and almost killed myself.

"What did she hit you with?" I questioned. I had been curious about this for some time, but this was the first opportunity I'd had to ask her about it.

Lumi paused, trying, I assumed, to conjure an accurate description of the weapon to her mind. "Close your eyes," she said. "I'll send you a picture." The girl's telepathy had improved tremendously, almost without her trying. I closed my eyes and let the image display itself on the backs of my eyelids.

The weapon was a dull, curved knitting needle. That was all it resembled, and I had no other name for it. I had never seen such a thing before, but I could guess quite readily at its purpose. "Lumi," I said gently, "when Syerdtsye stabbed you with that thing, she was hoping that it would curve up and puncture your heart." The image dissolved from my mind, and when I opened my eyes again I saw that Lumi's face had settled into a mask of steel.

"Kill me," she asked quietly, "me, the Shining Violet? Who wears Gray's necklace even now?" She leaned gently back against the wall, and smiled. Courage bordering on insanity glittered in her eyes. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, Syerdtsye, now won't we?" She laughed gently, and Dark sent a concerned look my way. I shrugged, setting the Silver Rose over by the Crystal of Yin and Yang.

"Call her crazy," I said, "It never did me any harm." Then I looked over at my tamer. Satoshi was gazing at me as though I'd spoken in some foreign language. A blue haze still flickered faintly against his injured eye, but it was nearly invisible now.

"Did you just…" Satoshi stopped, seemed to think about how to continue, and finished, "Tell a… joke?" I laughed briefly, but found the humor (pathetic as it was) had been lost on me.

"Yes Satoshi-sama," I replied, a sudden dread swooping down on my shoulders. "Come outside for a while. I must talk with you about something." I had to tell him what was happening. He had to know… but his eyes were already haunted enough. Even though the Hikari's thought I was heartless, I did want to protect them. I always had. But now that I had the chance to, I could not.

The legend on the Dragon Vase was slowly unfolding.

…

AN: Haha! I bet you forgot about that old piece, didn't you? Well, please review! A cover will be coming soon!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Disclaimer: I do not own DN Angel. Or a refrigerator. I wish I owned a personal refrigerator, because it's really hot where I live and I get yelled at when I try to sit in the one we have.

AN: I'm just going to apologize in advance; in the next few chapters I'm going to be switching the point of view around. A lot. However, I will try to keep you as oriented as possible.

Satoshi's POV

Krad led me outside of the cave, and I got the most distinct feeling that whatever he wanted to tell me wasn't good news about how to release Gray safely. The sun, shining brightly overhead, caused me to blink and shield my eyes, which had become used to the flickering dimness of the crystals. I took a moment to survey the land around us, and was stunned at the beauty that surrounded the mountain.

Krad and I stood on a cliff that sat thousands of feet in the air, near the middle of a tall mountain that stood alone in the midst of a grassy plain. Off somewhere in the distance, I saw the glint of a lake, and even further away saw wisps of smoke, as though a fire burned against the blue, cloudless sky.

"Krad, why did you want to talk to me?" I asked, having looked my fill at the picturesque scene in front of us. I didn't really want an answer, but I figured it would better to hear what the angel had to say now than later.

Krad stood, gazing out toward the lake for a long time. He did not answer my question, but I let him stand in silence until he was ready to speak. "We are becoming separate," he said at last. "I do not claim to know why, though the spell that… that Gray found to separate us might have something to do with it. It might be stronger than I originally thought." It took me several minutes to try and remember the spell he was talking about, but then I recalled the nightmarish hours in which Krad had been a part of me again, and how Gray had searched frantically with Towa and Argentine to free us for a _second_ time. I sighed and looked up at the sky, wondering when this madness would end.

"I will fade if I am not released soon," Krad continued. "The bonds between us are already faint. You should not try to contact me. You will only hurt yourself." I continued to stare at the sky.

"Why can I not release you now?" I asked, quietly hoping Krad would tell me to do just that. However, he continued to stare at the lake, and would not look at me.

"I will be released with death," Krad replied. My stomach rolled, and my vision of the sky blurred before falling into focus again. My legs suddenly felt very weak, and my head light.

"A death," I said quietly, slipping down the mountainside to sit on the cliff. "Not necessarily mine though, am I correct?" Krad was silent, and I was aware of how my heart was pounding through my ears. "Krad…?"

"I'll be able to stay here for several more years in this state," he replied calmly. "I might even last a decade if I learn what's causing this. But in the end it will have to be one of us, or the other." I glanced over at him, furious and disgusted.

"I finally thought I was going to have a normal life," I said, trying to stop my voice from shaking. "I thought I would be able to relax, and… start a family even, and now, you're telling me I'll be dead in ten years." My voice cracked when I said 'dead'. I couldn't stop myself. I had made _plans _for the future; I had thought I was finally free from the 'curse' that had plagued my family for so long… and now I was going to die. Krad sat down next to me, very calmly. He acted as though this was an everyday thing, something that had happened hundreds of times before.

"Satoshi-sama," he said quietly, "you were not listening. I said 'one or the other'. You might die and release me… or I might simply fade away long before your death. We will ignore that small fact, of course, until we are forced to face it. I would rather it be me, if that makes you feel any better."

"What about _Gray?_" I snapped, "What would happen to her if you died?" Krad chuckled, which only served to infuriate me more.

"Gray will know exactly what's happening," Krad said. "I have an odd feeling she will understand. Who knows? Maybe she will aid us in finding a… cure, I suppose, to this rather unfortunate situation." He stood quietly, now done with his piece, and glanced at the lake one more time. I wondered why he was so drawn to it, but didn't ask. I was almost certain I didn't care.

"Come," the white winged being looked down at me. "I believe I still must find your… friend." He shook his head slightly, as though he still couldn't believe Daisuke and I were friends; that Niwa and Hikari could be anything but enemies, and walked back into the cavern. I stood, slowly, and looked around, taking in the perfect sky smudged just slightly with smoke, and the mirror-like lake from the cliff thousands of feet above the ground. I wondered if I would ever see anything this beautiful again.

Then I too, turned and walked back into the dimness of the cavern.

Lumi's POV

When Satoshi and Krad walked out, Mura hopped into my arms, and I gently stroked her ears. The hare was slowly becoming my only sense of comfort, with Dark being gone so often to continue his thieving sprees and Daisuke, Satoshi and myself being so consumed by schoolwork.

At the thought of homework, I began to laugh slightly, remembering what day it was. It was a Thursday now, and I should be in school. I did hope that Riku and Risa weren't too worried about Satoshi and me, and that they wouldn't decide to do anything foolish.

"Lumi," Dark interrupted my musings, sitting down beside me. "What are you thinking about?" I laughed a bit more, still stroking Mura's ears, then shooed her off toward Fenga, Ryoushi and Wiz, who were all piled on top of each other, asleep. It was quite cute, to be truthful.

"It's a Thursday," I replied. "I'm just thinking about how this 'trying to bring your best friend back to life' thing is damaging my education." Dark laughed a bit too.

"Lumi," he said, his eyes sparkling, "you keep forgetting something very important." I looked at him. "You're immortal. You have until the end of _time _to learn anything and everything you want!" He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and gestured around us with his other hand. "You'll be able to do anything and _everything _by the time this world stops spinning!"

"Except have perfect attendance," I replied, and that set us both laughing again until I had to lean against Dark to stop myself from falling over. After we'd both calmed down somewhat, I rested my head on Dark's shoulder and tried to ignore the fact that his hair was in my eyes as I stared at The Silver Rose.

Gray was in there, and we had to release her. There were only two very serious problems, both of which I had no idea how to solve. One of them was that I didn't know how to release her from the artwork in the first place, and the second was that, even if I did release her, I would be releasing Sasha as well. And even though I had only seen her in that one vision, this new piece of art scared me almost as badly as Syerdtsye did.

"Dark," I said quietly, removing my head from his shoulder and leaning back against the wall, "when we find Daisuke… after we've done that…" I sighed, feeling my breath catch in my throat. "Dark, what are we going to do? We can't fight. We don't know where any of them are." I paused, almost getting caught up in the hopelessness of it all, but Dark put a hand on my shoulder. He leapt up and pulled me with him, and I was amazed to see his eyes all but _bursting _with happiness. I was still weak and still shaking a bit, but I stood, pulled off the ground where I had been comfortably sitting a moment earlier.

"You have her heart," he cried. "Lumi, you have her heart!" At first I didn't understand what he was talking about. I stared at him strangely for a minute. Then, in an instant, I realized what he was talking about. The small mirror; the heart-shaped mirror with a crack down the middle, was sitting in my temporary room in the Niwa's house. The artwork Syerdtsye had originated from.

"I do," I said, and my voice was much calmer than I had thought it would be. "I do, yes, but… I don't understand why you're so excited about it." Dark grabbed my shoulders and spun me around in a circle. I was caught off guard and nearly fell over, but was mostly annoyed by his lack of explanation.

"You have her heart," he said, still just as excited as before. "You have the artwork she came from, and you can, you _should _be able to control her!" Instead of feeling overjoyed, or happy, a chill shot down my spine. My eyes widened.

"What about the Black Wings?" I asked, suddenly terrified. "She could use you and… you and Krad…" I shuddered, now extremely cold. I had seen Krad nearly kill Gray once, and I knew how terrifying he could be when he was angry. Dark, however, seemed nonplussed.

"The Black Wings is much more powerful than it's supposed 'heart'," he shrugged. "Even if she tries to start controlling us, I should be able to stop her before her hold gets too strong." I nodded, feeling a little bit better. Dark meant what he said, I felt sure of it. However, before I could ask him anything more about controlling artworks, Krad walked in. Following him was Satoshi, looking distraught and paler than he normally was. I wondered why, but quickly put it out of my mind as Krad spoke.

"You needed me to find Daisuke," he said. I nodded slowly, and suddenly felt extremely vulnerable here in this cave. My magic was still drained, though returning to me quickly, and although I knew that this cave was safe, there was danger around me. I wondered if it was the fact that Sasha, whoever she was, was so close to me.

"Can you?" I asked cautiously. "I mean, I tried once, but…" I trailed off, remembering the hovering ball of flame that had appeared when I tried to track down Daisuke from the old church. "Well, it didn't really turn out too well."

"I can find him," Krad replied. "I have had much more experience than you have, Candra." I blinked, annoyed by his words, but I let him keep talking as I leaned back, closer to the crystals. Being closer to them seemed to help me regain my strength faster, and I had a feeling I would need that soon. I let my eyes drift shut, and let the cave wrap me in a cloak of warmth. I fell asleep.

…

When I woke again, I felt instinctively that some time had passed. It felt like early evening; the air was slightly heavy and cooler than it was during the day. I looked around me, seeing the now comforting crystal walls and the flickering firelight that seemed to come from within them. The Silver Rose and the Crystal of the Yin and Yang sat near each other on the wall opposite to me, and Fenga was curled up beneath them. She looked different than she had earlier, I thought, but I decided it was a trick of the flickering light. Looking about for the others, I didn't see anyone else in the large cavern. I stretched and stood up, and instantly, Murasaki was by my side.

_The others are outside, _she said quietly. _They are waiting for you to wake up. Follow me. _She began to hop off toward the entrance of the cave, and I followed, hoping I hadn't kept them waiting long. The Silver Rose and the Crystal stood side by side on a ledge of crystal, and as I passed them Fenga stirred slightly but did not wake. I glanced down at her, then knelt and stroked the fur on her head. It seemed rougher than it usually did; and as I continued to look at her, I saw that the wolf's fur was knotted and tangled in ways I had never seen.

"Mura," I said quietly, "Stay with Fenga unless I call you." Gray had told me in that dream so many months ago that Fenga was a part of her. She had said that as long as Fenga was well, she was also, yet now Fenga seemed ill.

"Hang in there Gray," I said, speaking to the sculpted roses. "As soon as Daisuke's home, we'll get you out of there. I promise." Stroking Fenga's head one last time, I stood and walked out of the cavern. I had to fight myself to not look back. I was afraid of what I might see; afraid that something awful would happen.

I walked out of the cave, down a narrow twisting corridor of crystal that slowly began giving way to rock, though crystals were still embedded in it. I went around a bend, and began to see daylight streaming in. It was orange, the color of dusk, and when I stepped out into open air it smelled like night. Satoshi stood on the cliff that was just outside of the cave entrance; his ice-blue wings flecked with droplets of blood. I looked up and saw Krad circling high above the mountain, and Dark diving down toward Satoshi and me. He landed between us, and nodded out toward the valley that was below the mountain.

"Look at it," he said, "isn't it just…" he paused, looking (I guessed) for the right words.

"Beautiful?" I supplied helpfully. Dark shook his head.

"It's too perfect," he said darkly. "I've learned from stealing artworks that if a place is too good to be true, then it's probably evil." I gazed out at the land below us, and felt a strange recognition in the back of my mind. It took only a moment for me to remember the rest of my dream those many months ago. The beautiful valley, the crystal clear lake… it was sitting here, right in front of me.

"Gray's heaven," I whispered. Without looking back, or even thinking about it, I took flight and soared down, heading toward the lake. It was just like I had seen it before: the water was crystal clear and I could see dragonflies skimming the surface; golden fish were darting about in the crystalline depths as my wings caused the smallest of ripples to appear on the surface. I laughed for no reason but to laugh, and then I soared up, back to Dark and Satoshi. Krad landed beside his tamer, with Ryoushi by his side.

"I've found Daisuke," Krad said, "Ryoushi will lead us there. Follow him." The dog yapped, and then spread his golden wings and took off, his paws moving as though he was running instead of flying. I grinned, and the four of us quickly took off after Krad's familiar.

_We're on our way Daisuke, _I thought to myself. _Hang on. _

…

AN: You all still remember and love me? Awesome! Leave me a review!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

(:3= This is my pet walrus, Rupert. He does not own DN Angel.

AN: I know I don't do this nearly often enough, but I'd like to give everyone who has reviewed, followed, or even just read this story a **HUGE** thank-you, a platter of cookies, and a hug. Seriously, thank you all so much; I feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing there are people out there in the world that are reading and enjoying what I write. Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you read now. Bye!

Dark's POV

As I followed Krad, I began to realize just how far away from Azumano we really were. There were absolutely no familiar landmarks around, with the exception of the large mountain behind us. There were hundreds of fields below us, but Ryoushi quickly went over the clouds and hid us from the view of those on the ground.

Lumi flew up to me, and yelled, "Where are we?" The wind was blowing her hair everywhere, and it nearly swept her voice away.

"I'm not sure," I called back. "But what did you mean when you said something about heaven?" I hadn't clearly heard what Lumi had said before she'd taken off to go see the lake, but I was curious.

"It was a dream I had once," she replied. "Gray visited. It was that _exact _place! I didn't know it was real!" I paused, remembering the dream _I _had had about Gray. It had been much less peaceful, and I shuddered to think the icy wasteland I had seen actually existed in this world. We continued to fly in silence.

Ten minutes passed; then thirty, and then an hour. Still, I couldn't find a single familiar building tree or landmark of any kind. Ryoushi did know where he was going, didn't he? I was worried, but I didn't dare voice this concern out loud. Krad would kill me for sure if I doubted that dog. But Lumi had told me that Dai would be hidden under our noses, and I assumed that meant somewhere in Azumano. But she had been wrong before…

No. I couldn't doubt her. Lumi was one of the few people I could trust, and trust unconditionally. If she had told me Daisuke was in a hidden cave in the Gulf of Mexico, I would have believed her.

Satoshi flew past me, dodged around Lumi, and slowed next to Krad. "Where are we going?" He gasped. I could barely hear him, and it looked like he'd begun to bleed where his wings pierced his back. Krad glanced over at him, and immediately whistled to Ryoushi, angling his wings for a dive. Lumi and I followed, and Satoshi seemed to fall slightly ahead of us. Lumi cast a concerned look my way, and I shot a troubled one back. I had no idea at the time what was wrong with Creepy, but I'd learn soon enough.

We landed on a grass covered hill, and Satoshi almost immediately collapsed to his hands and knees, breathing raggedly. "You… didn't… have to… land," he coughed. Krad stared at him contemptuously. (Had to look that one up. Good, huh?)

"Of course I had to land," he snapped. "You're bleeding, and I don't doubt you'll be coughing up blood in the next five minutes." He sighed, and sat down on the boy's right. Ryoushi walked up to him and curled up by his leg. Lumi sat to Satoshi's left, and put a hand on his shoulder. She shivered, and a few sparks of dark blue and bright silver danced around her skin before retreating.

"That's odd," she murmured. "Krad, what's wrong with him?" She looked concerned, and her pale violet eyes glittered in the sunlight. Krad shook his head and said nothing. "Krad, I can't heal him and he looks like he's dying. What's wrong with him?" Still, my other half said nothing.

"Krad, c'mon," I snapped, "tell us!" Krad shot an ugly look my way, and then sighed.

"Candra, you have no power left to heal. It will be at least a day until you are fully restored, despite the power in the cave." Well, I could have told her that. I just hadn't gotten to it yet, and she hadn't asked.

"But what about Satoshi?" Lumi asked again. The boy in question shook his head weakly, as though protesting against something. I was beginning to worry about him, which worried me. Krad shook his head as well, and stood up. Ryoushi followed his lead.

"I'm going back to the cave," he said. "Ryoushi, stay with these three. Protect them, get them to the Niwa boy, and then bring them back." He reached down to scratch the dog's ears, and then took wing. In a few minutes, he was out of sight.

"Well," Lumi snapped, "what's his damage?" She folded her arms across her chest and lay down in the grass, staring blankly at the clouds.

"More than you know," Satoshi whispered. A moment later, his arms gave out and he fell to the ground. Lumi only sighed, and I didn't know what to do. Ryoushi sat down next to him and growled, warning everyone and everything to keep away. I sat down next to Lumi and tried to think of anything we could do but wait. Daisuke, wherever he was, was in danger. Knowing my tamer, he'd probably be fine, but Dai was only a kid. I mean, sure, fifteen: whoop-dee-doo, but when you're four hundred and counting, fifteen years of experience is nothing.

"Just hang on Dai," I muttered to a passing cloud. "We're coming…" I glanced over at Satoshi, who was still bleeding (and true to Krad's prediction, coughing slightly) and Lumi, who appeared to be asleep. "Well, we'll get there eventually."

Krad's POV 

It took me only twenty minutes to get back to the cave, thanks mostly to an air current that happened to be going the way I was headed. It felt as though my lungs were filled with needles, and I wanted nothing but to lie down and sleep. Forever. I fought with my mind to stay in the air, certain the magic and untamed power in the cavern would help both Satoshi-sama and myself through this. As the familiar mountain rose to greet me, the current of air veered right. I fought my way out of it and continued forward.

I landed roughly on the ledge that led to the cave, and stumbled in. I was leaning heavily against the walls by this point; I was beginning to suffer the same pains my tamer was going through. The needles in my lungs were sharp, and long, and I was sure I was bleeding. Halfway down the long tunnel, I began to feel the cave's aura, and found just enough strength to keep moving.

Candra's familiar, that hare she called Murasaki, was there to greet me. She hopped up to my feet, twitched her nose, and leapt nimbly back to where The Silver Rose and the Crystal of the Yin and Yang were resting. Back to where what looked like a long black shadow was sprawled on the ground. I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"Gray?" I gasped. Murasaki shook her head, and her ears swayed with the movement. I stumbled over to the shadow, and what I saw made my heart nearly stop. What I had mistaken first for a shadow, and then for Gray, was Fenga.

She was nearly dead.

Lumi's POV

I was really worried about Satoshi. He had, true to Krad's prediction, begun to cough up blood a few minutes after the white wings had left. However, he now seemed to be getting a little better. His back, I was sure, had stopped bleeding, and he was breathing more easily. After about thirty minutes of rest, I saw him push himself up from the ground and stand shakily.

"Feeling better?" I asked quietly. He sat down and shook his head.

"Not really," he replied, and his voice was still unnaturally soft. "It's… painful." Whatever 'it' was, the blunette wasn't saying, so I began to cast about for feelings. If there was anyone within a ten mile radius, I could find them, but nothing jumped out at me. About two miles away on a distant hill, there was a small flock of birds, which only caught my attention because I loved feeling the sort of 'hive mind' that they had.

Dark leapt up, flew a circle around the area, and landed again. "I'm getting nervous," he said. "There's a village off to the west; if I remember the way Ryoushi was leading us, we're going to have to pass right over it. The clouds are nearly gone."

"It's empty," I replied. "Probably some old ghost town." Satoshi stood, stretched his wings, and winced but didn't move. The wind ruffled the blood flecked feathers, and for the first time, I realized that the spots weren't blood, but what I could only call freckles. Dark red freckles that looked exactly _like_ dried blood, but weren't. I wondered why they were there, but didn't want to ask.

"Well," Dark said after a few minutes, "when'll you be ready to fly again?" The question was directed to Satoshi, who simply shrugged.

"Ryoushi," the boy asked the dog, "how much longer would we be traveling?" The dog growled, and I suppose this meant something to him, because he sighed tiredly. "Krad should have sent me back," he said. "I'm taking this much worse than he is."

"What's 'this'?" Dark demanded. Ryoushi snarled at him, but Satoshi waved him off.

"I suppose I ought to tell them," he said to the dog. "Krad and I are separating. Again."

"Permanently?" Dark asked. I glanced up at the sky, and was shocked to see a crescent moon rising. The pale silver color reminded me yet again of Gray, and I wished she were here.

"I'm sure that's why he's so concerned about it," Satoshi replied. "He also said he thought Gray could figure out some way to stop it happening if we could release her soon enough."

"How long did Ryoushi say it would take to fly the rest of the way?" I asked, hoping it wouldn't be very long. Satoshi looked at me for a moment, and his eyes seemed to be settling back somewhat in his head. It gave him a very unsettling, haunted look.

"He said about two more hours." I gritted my teeth in frustration, and wanted to scream at the sky. This wasn't going to work! It wouldn't work, and I didn't know what to do, and Daisuke was still locked up somewhere we couldn't get to him!

"This is hopeless," I whispered. "Absolutely everything is against us now…" I wanted to cry. Fenga was telling me that something was wrong with Gray, Ryoushi was trying to take us to Daisuke, and Satoshi looked like he was going to pass out any second now, therefore preventing us from finding the aforementioned redhead.

"No," Dark said, "It's not. If everything were against us, we'd all be dead by now. Get up." I looked at Dark, surprised by the harshness in his tone. He was gazing back at me, and a fierce flame of determination lit his eyes in a way I had never seen before. I stood up, and stretched my wings before letting them settle against my back.

"Satoshi," I asked, "will you be able to fly?" He took a moment to consider my words, and then slowly nodded, and stretched his wings out, as if to be sure. He winced, and quickly drew them back. Dark's eyes lit up again.

"Wiz!" He called. "Satoshi, I'll have you use him as your wings. I think he'll be alright with that…" The little familiar hopped up to his master and 'kyuued' sweetly before leaping onto his shoulder. Dark whispered his plan to Wiz, who didn't look particularly happy. Dark said one more thing, and the little rabbit perked up immediately.

"We've got a deal," the violet haired kaitou grinned. "Lumi, can you tell Emiko to buy about five pounds of strawberries?" I sighed.

"She's out of range," I explained for the hundredth time. It was as though Dark honestly couldn't remember the nearly infinite times I'd told him I could only find people in a ten mile radius. "But, I'll pass the message on as soon as I can." Wiz 'kyuued' again, and leapt into the air, landing on Satoshi's back as the black wings that were his second form.

"Let's go then," Dark said, "Creepy, you'd better set the pace so you don't fall out of the sky again." Satoshi grimaced (I think he was actually trying to smile), and leapt into the air. Ryoushi followed him, leading only half a wingbeat ahead. I looked at Dark, who smiled gravely back at me and together, we leapt into the air to follow the boy and dog.

…

AN: *sigh* This story does not seem to be moving along, does it? Oh well, I promise you all that I'll have something exciting happen in the next chapter. In the meantime, reviews are welcome!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. D. N. Angel. Or anything, really.

**…**

Even with Ryoushi and Satoshi setting a pace for the latter's comfort, it still took the four of us nearly three hours to reach Azumano. We'd had to stop twice for Satoshi, who despite his best efforts to hide it, was suffering terribly. Even with Wiz as his wings, his back bled like it had been cut with a knife, and no matter how slowly we flew, his breath came in choked gasps. I wished there was something I could do for him, but all that could be done was land, staunch the bleeding around his wings as best we could, and then fly on.

When we finally reached the city, we landed on the first semi-tall building we came to, which was a skyscraper about fifty stories high. We were all tired, but Satoshi's condition had worsened to the point where he could hardly stand. Ryoushi walked over to him and pushed his cold nose against the boy's shoulder, but there was no response. For a terrifying moment, I thought he had simply died while Dark and I caught our breath. However, after a moment he stirred slightly and rolled onto his side. Wiz turned into the little rabbit-thing that was his usual form, and hopped over to Dark. With a touch of shock, I saw he had little red splotches of blood on his feet.

While Dark tended to his familiar (though it was Satoshi's blood on Wiz's feet), I walked over to Satoshi. Ryoushi growled horrible warnings against me, but I cloaked myself in a thin veil of magic and ignored him. I felt that, despite Krad's warnings, I was already full of magic and power, and that even if I could not _heal _Satoshi, I could at the very least help him. Gray had described healing others as having a 'nightmarish, soul-sucking feeling', but it was not like that for me.

To me, healing gave off a powerful sense of peace; a sense I can only describe as one of _giving, _no matter how small the wound I healed. Certainly, there had been one time I had tried to heal a long gash on Dark's back (he'd broken a window and been struck with fallen glass during a theft) when I was drained of magic, and it _had_ caused me pain, but that was simply an exception that proved what seemed to be a general rule.

And as sure as I was of my magical reserves, I could not help but hesitate before reaching out to touch Satoshi's shoulder. Would I need this precious magic to help free Daisuke? What if Honoo no Namida was there and we had to fight?

_Go on, _a voice in my head murmured. _Just do it. He's fading quickly; he'll need your help._

I nodded to myself, agreeing with the internal monologue. Satoshi would indeed need my help if we were to even get to where Daisuke was. I could think about magic later. Besides, Dark seemed strong enough, and I was sure Ryoushi had at least enough magic to go through a door and unlock it from the other side. I placed my hand on his shoulder, and dark blue energy that was flecked throughout with tiny specks of silver flooded down my arm.

Almost instantly, I felt dizzy and forced the magic into check. The glob of power flowing down my arm shrunk vastly, and slowed to a thin trickle that spread over my hand and poured over my fingers like small streams, but instead of spreading across Satoshi's back and to the cuts on his wings, it seemed to gather on a spot just to the left of the center of his chest. It pooled there, you could say, directly above his heart, and that was when I became afraid. I drew back my hand, leaving what magic was there to seep into his skin and heal what it could, but I did not try to do anything else. As I walked away from him and towards Dark, I wasn't sure if I _could _do anything else.

"It's almost eleven," Dark said, checking first the moon and then my watch. I nodded, tugging my wrist out of his grasp. "Satoshi can't keep flying, even with Wiz, and we can't leave him here." I nodded again.

"I can't find Emiko," I added grimly, "or we might leave him with her. She's still too far away." Dark shook his head.

"We'll need Satoshi to get to Daisuke," he said, "I'm almost sure of it."

"Any magic trying to heal him goes straight to his heart," I snapped back, trying to speak quietly. "He's dying, Dark, and I don't think we can save him if we drag him along with us."

"You're helping him," Dark snapped back, "that should give him enough strength to fly with Wiz, at least." I shook my head.

"I don't think it will," I said. "I- I don't think…" I wrapped my arms around Dark's neck and hugged him, suddenly having to fight back tears. "If only Gray was here," I whispered, "If only Krad…" I felt Dark nod in agreement.

"One of them could probably do something," he said, gently releasing me. "But they aren't here, and they won't help."

Satoshi gritted his teeth, and then spoke. "Krad… is helping," he whispered. I found that he was almost invisible in the starlight. "If he… hadn't gone back… I'd be dead… the magic there… helps…" The little spot of magic I had forced onto his skin had not been absorbed, and sat on his back like a strange marble. It was still directly above his heart. Ryoushi let out a small whine.

"We have to keep going," his voice was now no more than a whisper. "I'll be okay… just give me a minute."

"Satoshi," I said softly, walking over to him, "You're in no condition to do this." I put a hand on his shoulder, and he reached up and grasped my wrist with a wasted hand. "You'll die…" He squeezed my wrist, and then pulled himself upright.

"I'll live," he whispered. "I'm going to be okay…" But I was holding him upright by his shoulders. He seemed to have no more strength in his legs, and he was practically leaning against me. But after a moment, he took several shaky steps away from me. His back was bleeding profusely now, and his wings, once pure ice blue with simple dark red freckles on their edges, were now entirely the color of blood. Simply looking at the way that the color glistened in the nearly nonexistent light, I could tell the blood was fresh. I glanced back at Dark, who only shrugged and whispered something to Wiz. His familiar shifted into a pair of black wings, and flew silently over to Satoshi.

He was standing on the edge of the roof, with his wings and arms outstretched, and his hair glistening in the moonlight. Blood dripped from his wings, and glittered like garnets in the light. The rest of his body was only a black silhouette, motionless in the night, black on black. Unconsciously, I touched my shoulder, and felt the black bow that had appeared in my hands before now slung across my back. Without knowing how I knew, I could tell that Gray was there. Somehow, she was with us, giving Satoshi strength and crafting a weapon for me. But she would not speak. I knew she would not speak. She had spoken enough already, without uttering a single word.

"We have to go," Dark said. "It's going to start getting light soon." I glanced up at the sky, and was shocked to see that the moon was nearly touching its far horizon. It _would _soon be dawn. Satoshi sighed and folded his wings against his back. I saw the blood on them, now dried, crumble and flake to the ground.

What was going on with time? It seemed to be jumping forward of its own accord, and settling back into its regular rhythms without anyone noticing. It was maddening.

"Dark's right," Satoshi said. His voice was still soft, but not nearly as weak as it had been even a few minutes (or had it been hours?) earlier. I supposed we had Gray to thank for that. "I think I can fly the rest of the way," he continued. Wiz, still as a pair of wings, perched on his shoulder.

"On my own," he elaborated. The little familiar made an insulted sound, and leapt back over to Dark, transforming as he did so. But when Satoshi turned as though to face us, he knelt by Ryoushi, and gazed at the dog, and stroked his fur. Then he stood, and leapt into the air. The suddenness of his actions startled me, and without thinking, I followed, hearing Dark leap into the air behind me.

I was, in fact, so intent on following Satoshi that I did not notice the puddle on the edge of the roof, where he had been standing, was dark red and bright. It was, of course, more blood. If only I had seen it, maybe things might have worked out better.

If only.

**…**

Satoshi's strength kept him in the air on our final stretch to the old church that was Honoo no Namida's home, which surprised me. However, I was pleased too. Maybe I had been wrong; maybe he would turn out alright. Perhaps his wings had finally stopped bleeding.

Ryoushi flew over the roof of the old church and circled there, like a hawk. Satoshi and I followed his lead, but Dark shot past us, urgently waving at us to follow. Ryoushi pricked up his ears and winged over slowly, and I followed him. But when I glanced back at Satoshi, he was still circling. It didn't seem as though he'd seen Dark, or Ryoushi and I fly away. He was looking at me, but his eyes didn't look like they were seeing me. Or anything, really. I waved to him, hoping the movement would snap him out of his trance, but he continued to stare blankly ahead, wings slanted to circle. In the early morning's light, the effect was horribly eerie.

"That idiot," Dark growled. "He's going to blow our cover!" I said nothing, curious as to why nothing was happening. Though I hated to think so, I figured that Honoo or some other artwork should have seen him by now. Yet, despite that, nothing was happening.

Without thinking, I sent an invisible pulse of magic down toward the church. Within an instant, it had returned to me and my worst fears were confirmed.

There were at least ten creatures (I say this because none of them felt human) in the building below. I knew without a doubt that one of them was Honoo no Namida, and (here a chill ran up my spine) also couldn't help but wonder if Syerdtsye was there too.

"There are eleven," a voice hissed. "And there are none." Ryoushi snarled, and I heard Dark make some sort of indignant, shocked noise. "It simply depends, Miss Violet, on whether or not you can _see _them." I whirled around, but saw no one.

Absolutely no one. Dark was gone. Satoshi was gone. Even Ryoushi was gone.

"Shining Violet, your light will die tonight." I turned around again, terrified that I was now alone with some unknown enemy.

"Lumi?" Dark's voice came from my right, and I glanced over. No one was there. "Lumi, I'm still here. Satoshi and Ryoushi are too."

_I can't see you,_ I thought to him.

_And you never will again, Shining Violet. _This voice was familiar. It was that of Shinko Furaito, the tall artwork with the mist of silver for eyes. _You have many enemies. I am one._

"Get out of my head," I snapped at him. "Where are my friends?"

"They are in front of you," the strange voice continued, "and they are nowhere. They are alive, and they are dead. _Can you see?" _A trickle of fear slipped into my stomach; twisted it around into a sickening knot; caused my wings to stop beating for a moment.

_Open your eyes._

_They are open._

_Open your eyes! _The voice was not anyone's I had ever heard before, and it is one that I have never heard again. Now, as I write it, I believe it must have been Ryoushi's. He cannot communicate with me as Fenga and Wiz and Murasaki can, and he had never before tried.

But I tried to open my eyes. I strained them against the night, looking for dissimilarities or blurs that could indicate a shield of some sort, and found nothing. I panicked for a moment more, then scrunched my eyes tight and focused all of my magic towards the point where I had last seen Dark. Snapping my eyes open, I threw out a wide, thin beam of deep navy blue and silver-speckled energy, and saw two figures melt into shape. One was Dark, grinning and giving me a thumbs-up, and the other was Ryoushi, who did a mid-air backflip and cast around for his master—who was nowhere to be seen.

"He has vanished from my spell," the voice muttered. "Only some can do that. Only those near death can do that." My stomach did a weak flip, but even as I felt shock from this statement coursing through my veins, I could accept it. Some crazy, awful part of me knew it was going to happen.

But how could I accept it? What was wrong with me? I shook my head weakly, trying to clear the awful images of Satoshi dying out of my mind. I just couldn't let it happen. I couldn't. I _wouldn't._

I felt a bow slung across my shoulder, and I gently touched it. It radiated a warmth that was both comforting and wild, and I knew Gray's spirit was with me.

"I'll get you back Gray," I whispered. "You and Satoshi both, do you understand?" The bow did nothing, but I like to imagine that I felt the warmth pulse slightly. I glanced over at Dark.

_C'mon, _I thought. _We've got to get in there. _He nodded at me, and together, with Ryoushi leading the charge, we dived. The wind whistled past my face, forcing me to squint. Tears streamed out of my eyes, and my breath grew short, until I spread my wings and pulled out of the dive and landed lightly on a pew, panting gently and blinking rapidly. Dark landed next to me with a snap of wings, and Ryoushi with a clatter of his claws.

Dark tapped me on the shoulder, then tapped his temple. Instantly, I listened for his thoughts; it had become almost second nature by now.

_Let's not speak, _he thought, _I don't want them to hear us._

_Shinko Furaito will hear us anyway, _I replied. He sighed, and stepped off the pew, shuffling his wings against themselves.

"Well then," he said, and his voice rang out like the pealing of bells in a chapel, "Let's make them all remember the sound of our voices, right Lumi?" I grinned, and I knew he was grinning too, like the Cheshire Cat in Wonderland, and nothing could stop him. "Shinko Furaito, True Flight of Fright, show yourself! Bring your friends!"

"_Bring the pyre."_ Dark and I both froze. Ryoushi snarled and backed up against the pew I still stood on. Time seemed to stop, even the breeze paused, as if the whole world was holding its breath. _"Tell me Dark, have you ever seen a tamer die? Or have you always abandoned them, to die alone?"_ For several seconds, there was silence while this sentence sank in to both of our minds.

"Oh god," I whispered. "No…"

"Which one?" Dark asked, "Who?" To my disbelief, his voice was shaking. I felt my knees start to knock together as they weakened, and I forced myself to step up to where Dark was simply to keep myself upright.

"_Why not the both of them?" _Shinko Furaito's true voice, rasping and curling around our minds, was coming from behind the organ that I had seen when my wings had burned from my back and Gray had died the first time.

"They have done nothing!" Dark snarled.

"They have unsealed the Dragon Vase, and spelled our doom. Do they not deserve death?" I saw something flicker to my left, and knew that it was one of the strange artworks that had allied itself with Syerdtsye and Honoo no Namida. It was this artwork that had spoken now, and I believe that it was then I realized just how much trouble we had gotten ourselves into. Of course, it could have been that I'd known all along, and only then accepted it, but I just couldn't believe that. I didn't think I was stupid enough to have dived headfirst into a slaughterhouse.

I looked over at Dark, and saw that he too was gazing at the organ. His face was a perfect mask of disbelief; his eyes wide, his mouth slack jawed in disbelief. His hands were twitching too, probably searching for a feather that he couldn't conjure.

"Go on," the new voice chided, "Go talk to your little friends. We'll let you hear their last words." This voice was feminine, and extremely condescending. I wanted to turn around and destroy its source, but Dark grabbed my wrist as though he could sense my thoughts, and held me still.

"Don't turn around," he whispered. "It's what she wants. Come on, we have to go find Daisuke."

"What about Satoshi?" I asked gently as he began to lead me forward. Ryoushi padded along behind us, prowling low to the ground.

"He's sending me a signal," Dark hissed. "It's strong, considering how bad he was the last time we saw him."

"_Keep walking,_" Shinko Furaito chided, "_You're nearly there._" We were at the organ now, and Dark paused.

"I will wait here," he said deliberately, "and make sure no one tries to kill you, Daisuke, or Satoshi as you come back." He nodded encouragingly at me, and with a pit now creating what felt like a black hole in my stomach, I moved around the organ, very slowly, and went behind it.

I saw Daisuke first. He seemed fine, but for a black eye and a general sense of weary alertness, and he glanced up at me with a joyful, hopeful look of someone who thought they were nearly done for.

"Hey Dai," I grinned, "bet you're glad we're here, aren't you?" Daisuke beamed widely, and to my great surprise, shook his head.

Instantly, flames sprang up behind me, sealing me off from Dark and the rest of the church. I leapt toward Daisuke, which was my great mistake. He leapt towards me, drawing a small dagger out of thin air and placing it gently against my throat.

"Don't tell me you didn't recognize me," Syerdtsye purred, assuming her true form. "You were just too hopeful, weren't you?" With the dagger still tickling my throat, she turned me to face the back of the organ. "Now your little friend there… he'll get to watch me gut you." She gave a low chuckle as I gasped in shock. Daisuke was tied to one of the organ's pipes, and appeared to have been beaten to a state of permanent semi-consciousness. A trickle of blood was dripping over his right eye, and his face was swollen with dark bruises. Satoshi was nowhere in sight.

"Daisuke!" I yelled. Syerdtsye brought the knife closer to my throat, slicing into my skin and drawing blood – not just a trickle, but a thin stream. I didn't scream, but I hissed out a few things I'd rather not repeat and struggled even harder, sure I was going to die. "Satoshi, Dark, someone!" The knife pressed down harder against my skin, and my vision began to tunnel.

"Candra!" I could hear Dark calling my name, but I knew he'd never be able to get to me in time.

The last words I heard before I passed out were not Dark's, however. They were Satoshi's.

"Anathema labor de meus majoris, exuro aput the porta de infernum."

**…**

AN: Satoshi's sentence roughly translates to 'Cursed work of my ancestors, burn at the gates of Hell.' I don't think he's very pleased with Syerdtsye…

Anyway, I'm glad to be back! Please leave me a review telling me how furious you are at me for disappearing for so long!


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